CHENNAI: Nearly 16 months after a major fire crippled operations at the second unit of the Thoothukudi Thermal Power Station (TTPS), the 210 MW unit of the ageing plant is set to resume power generation next week, providing a boost to the state’s power supply. Restoration work on the first unit, which was also damaged in the March 2025 fire, is expected to be completed in the second week of August.
According to official sources, the fire destroyed the control system and cable network of the two units, forcing their shutdown. In August 2025, Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Limited (TNPGCL) commenced the restoration works after awarding a contract worth around `300 crore.
A senior TNPGCL official told the TNIE that the restoration process took longer than expected due to the difficulty in sourcing spare parts for the decades-old power generation units. “Several manufacturers have discontinued the production of components required for these old-generation thermal units. The TNPGCL had to procure critical equipment and spare parts from different parts of the country,” he said.
The official said the remaining works, including coal handling system integration and a few technical activities related to power generation, are in their final stages. “The remaining works will be completed within the next couple of days, following which the second unit will be synchronised with the grid and brought back into operation,” he added.
With the revival of the second unit, the TNPGCL will restore 210 MW of generation capacity to the state grid. The official further said the restoration of the first unit is progressing as planned and is expected to be completed during the second week of August. Once both units are revived, TTPS will regain 420 MW of generation capacity.
The five units of the TTPS were commissioned in phases between 1979 and 1992, with the units becoming operational in 1979, 1980, 1982, 1991, and 1992, respectively.