Udangudi Unit-1 begins operation after 72-hour trial

CHENNAI: Unit-1 of the Udangudi Supercritical Thermal Power Project in Thoothukudi district achieved commercial operation on Saturday evening after successfully generating 660 MW of electricity continuously for 72 hours, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) said.

The Rs 13,076-crore project at Udangudi comprises two units of 660 MW each. Unit-1 initially commenced power generation on March 13, 2026, generating between 300 MW and 400 MW daily during preliminary operational testing.

Following instructions from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to expedite commissioning at full commercial capacity, officials conducted a series of test runs to establish the plant's operational stability at its rated output.

As part of the mandatory commercial operation declaration process, a continuous full-load trial run was conducted from 4.16 pm on September 2 to 4.15 pm on September 5. Throughout the 72-hour run, the unit consistently sustained generation at its full 660 MW capacity, prompting TNEB to officially declare commercial operations on Saturday.

With the commissioning of Unit-1, TNEB's total installed thermal power capacity has increased from 4,460 MW to 5,120 MW. The steady availability of firm power from the new facility is expected to help the utility cut down its reliance on expensive short-term power purchases from private suppliers, offering financial relief to the power board.

Meanwhile, construction work on Unit-2, which also has a capacity of 660 MW, is progressing rapidly, with efforts underway to begin power generation soon.

The letter of award for the main plant was issued to EPC contractor BHEL in December 2017. Unit-1 was originally scheduled for commissioning in January 2021 and Unit-2 in March 2021. However, project execution faced delays due to various hurdles, including the COVID pandemic, severe labour shortages, and legal disputes.

Power and Law Minister R Nirmalkumar commended TNEB Chairman V Arun Rai, Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Managing Director M Govindarao, Director (Projects) M Sethuraman, Udangudi Chief Engineer (in-charge) K Rajakumar, and the project staff for achieving the milestone.