The first Unit of 720MW Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority (MHPA) in Trongsa is temporarily shutdown since the 7th of this month. The management said, one of the components inside the turbine, the ‘throw ring’, needed modification to minimize the spillage or leakage of oil, which lubricates to spin the turbines smoothly.
The project is also currently under operation and maintenance period.
Of the four units, the first unit has been in operation for more than 1500 hours so far. The management mentioned that all runner or turbine requires check-up or inspection of wear and tear or other defects and standards after every 500 hours for future reliability. And this was one reason for the temporary shutdown of the Unit.
“When we checked, little leakage of oil is noticed and then we found that the throw ring which throws the oil out was in a little critical phase of over spilling the oil so, in order to re-modify to stop spillage, it took some time,” said Chencho Tshering, the Joint Managing Director of MHPA, Trongsa.
These works are expected to be completed on or before the 22nd of this month. The first unit began commercial operation from June 28.
Similarly, the third Unit encountered problems recently, which the project attributes to some minor and normal mechanical problems but was restored since three days ago and the power generation continues. The project said such issues have no implication to the cost, as it would be borne by the concern contractors.
“Generators, which are running although it is rated as 180MW but we are generating as far as 190 MW. So sometimes 20 to 30 per cent are added to other machinery and the other machine is put at a halt to attend its problems. So I would not say we have really lost power generation also,” he added.
The project is expected to churn only one turbine during winter or lean season due to lack of water. And the maintenance and inspection of the machinery are considered suitable in those periods.
Meanwhile, the project exported about 825 million units of electricity to India so far, earning about Nu 3.4bn at the agreed tariff of Nu 4.12 per unit.
Passang
