Sarani plant fire: MP power generating company blames 'faulty' BHEL technology

The Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company Limited (MPPGCL) has categorically blamed the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited's (BHEL) faulty designed bushing technology for the fire at its Sarani power plant on Friday night. "Earlier a similar incident (of fire) had occurred at Shri Singhaji Thermal Plant where fire broke out at unit number 1 on November 18, 2013 resulting in closure of that unit for about a month. Similarly, unit 2 also suffered for a month due to fire on January 21, 2015. Both incidents of fire happened because of (the) faulty bushing system in transformers," said Vijendra Nanawati, managing director of MPPGCL. In the earlier incidents, BHEL had then replaced the faulty bushing system with bushings made in another company. Bushings of unit number 10 and 11 of Satpura Thermal Plant were also to be replaced by BHEL, said a press communiqué issued by the power generating company. It also said that in 2007 the NTPC had also complained about the faulty bushing system design and had banned the BHEL product. BHEL chief spokesperson AK Chaturvedi, however, has denied all the charges and said it was too early to comment on the issue. "This is a technical matter and I cannot comment on the issue without taking feedback from the technical team," said Chaturvedi. ref: http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/sarani-plant-fire-mp-power-generating-company-blames-faulty-bhel-technology/article1-1373419.aspx