After Mettur bunker collapse, experts want safety review of thermal plants

IN the wake of the recent bunker collapse at Mettur Thermal Power Station (MTPS), which claimed the lives of two workers, experts have urged the Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Limited (TNPGCL) to conduct a thorough review of all thermal power plants in the state.

- S GURUVANMIKANATHAN @ Chennai

The Mettur incident raised serious concerns about the safety of ageing thermal plants and the need to ensure that safety standards are up to date.

A Sekkizhar, state general secretary of the TNEB Employees Federation, said, "This is a deeply unfortunate event. While such incidents are rare, TNPGCL must prioritise safety measures in all ageing thermal plants to protect employees," he said.

MTPS, which began operations in 1987, has been running for nearly 37 years, well beyond the standard lifespan of 25-30 years for thermal power plants. Sekkizhar pointed out that technical issues are inevitable in such old plants and urged TNPGCL to inspect the machineries in all four units of MTPS without any delay.