Fire in transformer at BTPS was not caused by lighting: Expert team

The Genco expert team concluded that the fire that broke out at Bhadradri Thermal Power Station’s (BTPS) first unit generator transformer was not caused by lightning strike, but due to internal issues.

Kothagudem: The fire that broke out at Bhadradri Thermal Power Station’s (BTPS) first unit generator transformer at Manugur in the district last Saturday was not caused by lightning strike, found a team of experts from Genco.

A generator transformer is the largest transformer on a power station and was specifically designed to step up the voltage output of a generator to the level required for transmission over long distances. There were four 270mw capacity units in BTPS each producing 16kv electricity and the generator transformer steps up the voltage to 400kv to connect it to the grid.

---

According to the BTPS sources, the Genco team submitted a report to the government. It was said that the transformer’s 87 GT and 64R relay systems were activated and the relay systems would be activated when there was any internal problem.

A relay that responds to external problems was not activated. Based on this the team came to the conclusion that the transformer caught fire due to internal issues in it. According to the BTPS officials lightning struck the transformer at 7.26 minutes and it was recorded on CCTV camera.

The Genco team noted that the lightning strike happened coincidentally. According to primary estimates a loss of Rs 30 crore occurred due to the fire. Shortcomings in the management and monitoring of the system could have led to the fire accident.