As NGT cracks whip, 800 MW thermal plant set to be delayed

With the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal banning fly ash slurry pipeline work across the Kosasthalaiyar river, Tangedco is staring at yet another delay in the commissioning of the 800 MW North Chennai Super Critical Thermal Power Project Stage III which was expected to commence trial operation by October this year.

In a major setback to Tangedco, the NGT had ordered the utility to suspend the fly ash pipeline works without obtaining the environmental clearance and imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh for taking up construction without the statutory clearances.

The applicant Ravimaran had moved the tribunal against Tangedco stating it had illegally, without clearance, commenced and constructed a portion of the ash pipeline for its power project. Following the protest by the local people and activists, the applicant stated that the utility had applied for the environmental clearance post facto.

Sources in Tangedco said the decision on the further course of action on the NGT order will be taken in the coming days. “The delay in the construction of the ash pipeline will affect the commissioning of the power project. We will decide on the next course of action considering various aspects,” the source said.

The Rs 8,700 crore power project was the first supercritical 800 MW project to be set up by Tangedco. The engineering procurement construction contract for the coal-based thermal project was awarded in two packages — boiler, turbine and generator and balance of plant — to BHEL and BGRESL to ensure speedy completion of the works in 2016. The power project was targeted to commence generation in March 2019 but running behind the schedule by over 23 months.