NJPC shut after silt level rises

Shimla, Aug 23 (UNI) Public Sector Nathpa Jhakri hydel power project in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh shut down early morning today after silt level in the reserviour crossed beyond the permissible limit of 4,000 parts per million (ppm), a company official said.

All the six units of 250 MW each were closed between 0400 and 0600 hrs early today after the silt level rose to 5,700 ppm,'' he told UNI over the telephone here.

The 1,500 MW power project had also remained closed for 23 days recently after the silt level in the reserviour beyond the permissible limit of 4,000 ppm, causing losses of over 175 crore to the Centre and the state government, which was 25 per cent stake in it.

The official said by evening the silt level in the reserviour had come down to 5,500 ppm, which was still above the permissible limit and as such the plant continued to remain shut.

The power generation in the plant would resume after the silt level falls below 4,000 ppm, he added.

UNI AS VKJ MIR PC2237