CHENNAI: All three 210 MW generating units of the North Chennai Thermal Power Station (Stage-I) were shut down in the early hours of Wednesday following a technical fault, disrupting power supply to thousands of consumers in parts of North Chennai for nearly three hours.
The shutdown occurred around 6 am, affecting electricity supply in Manali, Athipattu, Gummidipoondi and neighbouring localities. Officials said emergency restoration work was launched immediately after the fault was detected. Power supply was restored in phases, and normal supply resumed by around 10 am.
A senior official from Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Limited (TNPGCL) told the TNIE that the fault was first noticed in Unit-I. As a precautionary measure, the remaining two 210 MW units were also taken out of service to prevent the problem from spreading, resulting in the temporary shutdown of the entire 630 MW Stage-I station. However, power generation was restored within three hours.
The official added that the exact cause of the fault is yet to be identified and is being examined. Engineers are carrying out a detailed technical assessment to determine the reason for the shutdown. All three units have since resumed generation and the station is functioning normally.