08-05-2025
Fire at Obra thermal power in UP , 2 units closed
Lucknow: A fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday in two connected transformers at the Obra 'B' thermal power facility's switchyard in Sonbhadra district. Thick smoke filled the plant and power generation was disrupted when the transformers, linked to units 10 and 11 with a capacity of 200MW each, were shut down as a preventive step.
Sources said "Two 315MVA (Megavolt-amperes) ICTs (Interconnecting Transformers) caught fire at 6.51am, following which as precautionary measures two power generation units were tripped, that further resulted in power outage in certain districts for couple of hours."The fire was immediately reported to the CISF fire brigade wing, which deployed three fire tenders to the site. The blaze was doused in 90 minutes and there was no casualty or even injury, sources said. Initial evaluations suggest that the facility incurred damages worth Rs 50 crore as a result of the fire, said DM Sonbhadra Badrinath Singh. ICTs are substantial power transformers used in major substations to link different voltage levels within the electrical grid. These devices are critical for maintaining grid stability and ensuring dependable power transfer across voltage levels. Rupesh Kumar, managing director of Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam and Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation, told TOI, "Both power generation unit were reinstated after the fire was doused. A departmental probe has been ordered to find the cause of fire."
