AGARTALA, May 15 (TIWN): The Performance Guarantee Test (PGT) of ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) Palatana thermal power plant likely to take three days instead of week long said official sources.

Following continued requests to OTPC, from state governments in India’s northeast they have decided to carry on the test on war footing, which is scheduled to undergo shutdown from Saturday mid – night. Engineers and technicians of the BHEL would be overseeing the performance guarantee test.

Meanwhile, TSECL (Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd) decided to purchase additional power to cover up the shortfall of power demand. When mercury level is on rise, the power consumption during peak hour is 240 – 250 MW. TSECL own power generation is 100 MW, 80 MW from OTPC and 50 MW is drawn from central share. The lone Dumbur hydro-electric project is currently producing barely 1 MW power.

Earlier, it was decided Palatana power plant for routine PGT would undergo shut down from April 26 last, but following continued requests from a number of state governments in India’s northeast, the ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) on Saturday deferred scheduled shutdown in the first unit of OPTC Palatana thermal power plant.