Udangudi thermal power plant’s first unit expected to be fully operational by May

The first unit of the Udangudi Thermal Power Plant in Thoothukudi district is expected to be fully operational by the end of May, said Tangedco Chairman and Managing Director J. Radhakrishnan while inspecting the power plant on Saturday

The first unit of the Udangudi Thermal Power Plant in Thoothukudi district is expected to be fully operational by the end of May, said Tangedco Chairman and Managing Director J. Radhakrishnan while inspecting the power plant on Saturday.

He explained the delay in operation was primarily because of lack of manpower in the technical unit of the site. He said nearly 4,500 technicians are required for the single unit while the entire plant has only about 4,500 technicians in total. A major challenge is the high attrition rate, with 40% to 50% of the workers leaving their jobs midway.

He said the manpower shortage had been discussed with the Union government and efforts were being made to recruit more workers and technicians through Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). He also mentioned that Chairman and Managing Director of BHEL Koppu Sadhashiv Murthy would soon visit the site to assess the workforce requirement before the plant becomes operational.

“The second unit is expected to commence its operation between July-August,” he added.

Mr. Radhakrishnan highlighted that the Udangudi Thermal Power Plant was the first in Tamil Nadu to have its own coal jetty established by Tangedco. The facility includes a bridge and coal jetty, with an 8-km-long bridge connecting the berth to the shoreline.

He reiterated the commitment of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ensure power security across the State. Tangedco was taking steps to provide uninterrupted electricity, especially during summer, he said.

Tangedco had planned ahead to prevent shortages by utilising electricity generated from its own power plants, shares from Union government’s plants, power swaps with other States and small private power plants within the state, if necessary, Mr. Radhakrishnan added.