Agartala, March 2: Power cuts have returned to Tripura after two turbines in the first unit of 363.3MW Palatana thermal power plant became dysfunctional.

The problem worsened following a snag in the 21MW first unit of Barmura thermal plant, particularly at a time when the higher secondary and Madhyamik examinations of Tripura Board of Secondary Education have begun.

In order to make up for the deficit, the Tripura State Electrical Corporation Limited (TSECL) has bought more than 40MW of power at high rate from the northeastern grid.

The TSECL chairman and managing director, Shyamal Kumar Roy, said the problem would persist unless generation from the first unit of Palatana recommenced.

Roy said from Thursday evening, both the turbines became dysfunctional because of supply of impure natural gas infiltrated by dirt and slush.

“We are doing our best and if we fail to solve the problem, specialist engineers will have to be brought in from Hyderabad again,” said a senior ONGC Tripura Power Corporation official.

Roy said the peak-hour demand yesterday was 211MW but the collapse of the first unit and lack of generation in a 21MW Barmura thermal plant, the state generated only 146MW.

“At this time of crisis, the Dumbur hydro project is giving us a maximum of 6MW though its capacity is 10. Since the board examinations are on, we now have to import power from the northeastern grid at a high cost,” said Roy.

He expressed the hope that Palatana's first unit would be restored to normal generation level soon.