Telangana: Short circuit might have caused Srisailam power plant fire, say officials

Repair works will be taken up at hydel plant shortly, after which power generation will be resumed, say sources
Rescue teams shift the Injured in the fire mishap in the underground hydro-electric power station at Srisailam Reservoir to hospital on Friday | express
Rescue teams shift the Injured in the fire mishap in the underground hydro-electric power station at Srisailam Reservoir to hospital on Friday | express

HYDERABAD: The preliminary assessment by the officials of TS Genco has found that a short circuit in one of the panels caused the fire at the Srisailam hydel power plant on Friday. Repair works would be taken up at the power plant shortly, after which power generation would be recommenced, sources said. 

“We feel that a short circuit triggered the fire. But, we are yet to ascertain the reason behind the short circuit. As of now, we cannot go inside the plant. It will take at least three days to clear the plant, only after which we can go inside and examine the plant,” a top official of the TS Genco told Express on Friday.

The exact reason for the fire accident would be known only after an inquiry, the official explained. 

Meanwhile, official sources told Express that they are yet to verify which all equipments got damaged in the fire accident. “After taking stock of the condition of all equipments, we will decide on where to purchase the new ones, which are required for the reopening of the plant, from. The Srisailam hydel plant will definitely be revived and it will start generating power again,” official sources averred. 

However, they could not tell how long it would take for them to recommence power generation. 
“We can’t say it right now. But, the plant will be revived just like several other plants in the country that were revived after such fire accidents,” the sources added.The officials of Energy department were clueless why the power could not be put off in the incipient stage in Srisailam hydel power plant. The fire in initial stage was very small at a panel, as per the mobile videos sent out by the staff trapped in the ill-fated Srisailam hydel power plant. 

“All the safety precautions were in place in the project. We can not say right, why the fire was not controlled in its incipient stage. We have to enquire the factors for spreading the fire,” sources said.
 Besides probing into the cause of fire, there was also a need to probe into the reasons why the fire was not brought under control in the incipient stage. Whether fire fighting equipment not worked properly should also needs to be probed. Recently, top officials inspected the power plant, after it started generating power in the current water year.

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