Bellary thermal plant unit 2 to generate power soon

The turbines of the second unit of the Bellary Thermal Power Station (BTPS) near Kudatini were switched on, on an experimental basis on Monday.

The oil synchronisation of the 500 MW unit will take place on January 15, while the coal synchronisation is scheduled to be held in March.

These are tests to ensure that the execution of work is in proper order before power can be added to the State grid, said G Rathnamma, Executive Director of Bellary Thermal Power Station. There is no shortage of coal for the first stage of BTPS, which is consistently generating 500 MW of power. Arrangements have been made for the supply of coal for the second unit, she said.

The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) which began the work on the second unit in 2008 was scheduled to  complete it by November 2011. Rathnamma said that the work on the third unit of BTPS with an installed capacity of 700 MW is in full swing and is expected to be operational in three years time.

She said the current power crisis faced by the State due to lack of rain in the hydel power generating regions and hurdles in coal supply at the RTPS will be mitigated partly by the Bellary Thermal Power Station.