Both units of Yamuna Nagar thermal plant facing breakdown for 6 months

10 May, 2012

Both the turbines at the 600 MW Yamuna Nagar thermal plant in south east Haryana suffered disastrous failure within 4 years of commissioning raising question mark over quality of Chinese equipment.

HARYANA IS losing 144 lakh units daily generation after the forced closure of both units of Yamuna Nagar thermal plant. Incidentally, this was the first power project in Haryana to be awarded to private developer where boiler turbine and generator equipment was supplied by Shanghai Electric Corp. of China.

This plant was awarded Gold Shield for meritorious performance (Early Commissioning) in 2008. Within 4 years of commissioning both Chinese units are on prolonged breakdown. The 300 MW Unit 1 of plant suffered failure of turbine blades on March 31 this year, and repair work has not yet started. Please see the attached picture showing damaged turbine blade. The failure of turbine blades of Unit 1 points to poor quality of manufacture.

Unit 2 suffered damage to turbine rotor in September last year. The rotor has been sent to Baroda works of Siemens for repair at a total cost of about Rs. 5 crore. After the incident of turbine failure, the enquiry conducted by Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd, (HPGCL) established two
major lapses in design/construction.

The high pressure as well as low pressure drains of the turbine were connected to a common header which was the cause for back flow of water into the turbine resulting in sudden fall of temperature and bending of rotor. The temperature differential measurement of turbine cover has been provided but the indications have not been provided in the control room.

According to sources Reliance infra is not prepared to accept or admit this lapse, and on this account, is not taking up the rectification of the lapses noted. Both units are not expected before end June 2012.
As per sources, when Yamuna Nagar Unit-2 suffered turbine failure in September 2011, the EPC contractor/ Chinese company tried their utmost to blackmail HPGCL to release the penalties/ recoveries in case of Yamuna Nagar project. However, HPGCL resisted this blackmail and sent the damaged rotor of unit-2 to Siemens/Baroda for repair thereby neutralizing the blackmail tactics of EPC/Supplier.
All India Power Engineers Federation in a letter to Union Power Ministry has stated that this is a problem of National dimensions and it cuts across organisational lines. HPGCL has suffered loss due to a Design/construction defect of R infra and Shanghai China.

AIPEF has suggested that a crisis management team from NTPC and BHEL may be constituted and directed to examine the lapses at Yamuna Nagar, so that the same could be avoided at other similar thermal plants of the country.