A fire audit of all thermal power plants of Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MSPGCL) is ordered to check reliability of the fire fighting system. Maharashtra Minister for Energy Dr Nitin Raut in a review meeting held at Mumbai, asked officials to go for third party audit to cross check the status of the system and ensure that all statutory norms are followed in toto.

Dr Raut during the meeting at Prakashgad in Mumbai held confabulations with top officials of MahaGenco and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). During the discussion, fire incidents at Chandrapur Thermal Power Station (CTPS) and Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station that happened during last year was analysed. In both the incidents, the company apart from suffering losses also had to shutdown power generation for a while and this the Minister said is not an ideal situation. At Khaparkheda, the fire had substantially damaged the conveyor belt that feeds coal to the thermal power generating units.

The damage to the conveyor belt disrupts the supply position and could have adverse impact on power generation. Hence the Minister inquired whether fire proof belts can be installed and asked the officials to work out the costing aspect. The incident of fire at generation stations needs to be studied in detail and all aspects that have come out of inquiry should be take note and rectification steps be initiated at the earliest.

In future there should not be repeat of such incidents of fire at thermal power plants and it ultimately affects company's performance. Dr Raut further stressed on optimum utilisation of assets and manpower to keep the power generation cost at the competitive level to ensure MahaGenco's units stay put in merit order dispatch scheme. For this monthly meeting be held and each group be tasked with definite targets and ensure they are met with.

He also ordered holding of mock fire safety drills on regular basis at the thermal power plants so that manpower is trained to deal with any exigencies. Disruption in power generation for unnatural causes needs to be avoided at all costs.

At the meeting, the Minister also asked officials to prepare policy for cent per cent utilisation of fly ash. Similarly the water required for power generation should be used judiciously.

Dinesh Waghmare, Principal Secretary, Department of Energy; Vijay Singhal, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, MSEDCL; Sanjay Khandare, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, MahaGenco; Uttam Zalte, Advisor, MSEB Holding Company; Chandrakant Thotwe, Director (Operations), MahaGenco, and other officials were present at the meeting.