MALKANGIRI: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is set to miss December deadline for the renovation of Unit-I and II of the 360 MW Balimela hydroelectric plant, run by Odisha Hydro Power Corporation Limited (OPHC).
BHEL was given the contract for the renovation of six of eight units of the powerhouse and was supposed to begin work in November 2017. But, it started phase -I renovation work on Unit- I and II in March 2018. It was supposed to be completed by December this year but the company has now sought four more months to complete the task, said OHPC, Balimela CGM Siba Prasad Panda.
Production from Unit-I and II turbine generators was suspended since the beginning of the renovation work in 2018. Once the work on both the units is over by April, they would be commissioned in June after tests, Panda said. The rest six units of the plant are in operation.
Expressing displeasure over the pace of the renovation work of two Units I and II, OHPC CMD Bishnupada Sethy, in a meeting held in the State Capital on October 25 had asked BHEL officials to complete the work by April without fail.
Eventhough, only six generators out of eight are in operation, the unit produced 1,680 million unit power in 2018 against the target of 1,183 million unit and has stood second in the State in terms of power production. Indravati has stood first by producing 1,950 million units during the same year while Kolab produced 832 million units followed by 525 by Machhkund joint hydroelectric project, Panda said.
The six original turbine-generator units, each having a capacity of 60 MW in the plant have been operating for more than 35 years and renovation and modernisation will restore capacity, improve efficiency and reduce auxiliary power consumption.
Sources said there would be no renovation of Unit- VII and VIII generators each having a capacity of 75 MW as they were installed in 2009. The cost of renovation of the six of the eight turbine generators is `350 crore.