PALATANA / UDAIPUR, October 9 (TIWN Exclusive): Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sandeep Chakraborty visited OTPCs Palatana Power Plant on Wednesday afternoon. The Dy High Commissioner was accompanied by his wife . A top level OTPC Official told TIWN this afternoon," Dy High Commissioner did not have any official meeting with OTPC officials but his visit is an indication that Prime Minister Modi and Bangladesh is looking seriously as far as OPTC Unit-II commencement is concerned. Bangladesh is scheduled to get 100MW from OTPC and Commercial Generation from Unit-II(363.3MW) is very crucial for this to happen."Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the Commercial Generation from Unit-II of this mega plant in the third week of November. Accordingly Prime Minister's Office(PMO) has been informed by the top level ONGC officials about the inaugural programme. However, a senior OTPC Official told TIWN on Wednesday evening," This time BHEL, OTPC will not do anything in haste like Unit I inauguration by President Pranab Mukherjee.

In June 2013 soon after the inauguration of COG from  Unit-I , the plant went to complete shutdown as the Gas Booster Compressors were badly damaged. After three months these Compressors were repaired from BHEL's manufacturing unit in assistance of the experts of "John Crane", the manufacturing company of Gas Booster Compressors. Quite naturally BHEL will not take any risk lest it has to face similar situation."

      Meanwhile the Trial Run for the unit-II as part of the 'Build Up of COG' will begin from Thursday morning. An OTPC engineer told TIWN over phone," BHEL experts , who will supervise the 'Trial Run' will be in the project site by early morning on Thrusday. And by noon the 'Trial Run' will start. It is expected that the 'Trial Run' will be completed by the end of third week of October."