NTPC shuts 4 units as water level dips in Farakka canal

Four units of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Farakka stopped working due to low level of water in the feeder canal. Only two units of the NTPC have been functioning. 

Senior NTPC officials have said that the incident will not create any crisis of electricity in the state. 

The requirements of electricity will be met through the national power grid, a NTPC official said. 

It may be mentioned that in March 2016, five units out of six had stopped working as the water level was low in the canal that feeds the units. 

During that time the generation of power was hit resulting in the power cuts in some parts of the state and its adjoining states including Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and Sikkim. 

It took more than a week to bring back the normalcy in the generation of power in all the units. 

The water level in the feeder canal has gone down due to the supply of water to Bangladesh as per the Indo-Bangladesh water treaty. It was learnt that the water has been supplied to Bangladesh from April 21, as a result which the water level in the feeder canal started dropping. The water supply to Bangladesh will continue till May 10. 

One unit with a capacity of 500 megawatt and three others having a capacity of 200 megawatt each stopped functioning from Saturday afternoon. 

Though, two units having a capacity of 500 megawatt and 200 megawatt each have been functional.