North Chennai power station's stage III nearly finished

Chennai's North Chennai Thermal Power Station is almost ready to start operating. The long-awaited stage III of the power station is nearing its commercial launch after delays. The Tamil Nadu power generation corporation is now looking for new contractors to finish the remaining work. This facility includes an 800 megawatt supercritical plant, which was inaugurated last year. It has faced several challenges and setbacks. A renewed trial run is currently ongoing, and officials expect operations to begin in April. To make sure the power station has a steady supply of coal and can manage ash effectively, the state is seeking bidders for important work. The new contractor will need to build a coal handling plant that connects to Kamarajar Port, ensuring a reliable coal supply. They will also have to set up an ash handling system to remove ash waste. The coal handling plant will require conveyor belts and other machinery, while the ash handling system needs piping and pumps to speed up ash removal. Previously, BGR Energy was awarded this contract, but they did not complete the work, leading to the cancellation of their contract last year. BHEL has finished the main plant, and securing a new contract for the remaining work is crucial for independence and full operation. There are additional tasks to complete, such as setting up a water treatment plant. This will provide desalinated and demineralised water for the power plant’s needs, along with finalising other systems related to sea water intake and cooling towers.