Jeypore (Koraput): A major fire incident occurred at the Machhkund Hydro Power House located at Ankadeli under Lamtaput Block in Koraput district on Saturday afternoon. The fire broke out around 12:00 noon, causing significant damage to electrical equipment inside the powerhouse.
The 120 MW Machhkund Hydro Electric Project, which has six generating units, is jointly owned by the Governments of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on a 50:50 basis as per the 1945 agreement and its subsequent revisions. While the management, operation, and administrative control of the power station rest with Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation (APGENCO), power and maintenance costs are shared equally by both states.
According to preliminary reports, the fire originated due to the bursting of a Current Transformer (CT) connected to a 2.5 MVA, 11/0.4 kV transformer situated outside the powerhouse. This transformer was supplying power to the local area. The resulting fire spread through connected cables and entered the cable gallery, damaging several electrical and allied equipment.
At the time of the incident, all six generating units were operational. However, the units were immediately and safely shut down, and all personnel were evacuated without any injury or casualty.
The fire was brought under control through the swift efforts of the powerhouse staff with support from the Fire Services team from Lamtaput. It was fully extinguished by 4:00 PM.APGENCO officials will now conduct a detailed damage assessment. Preliminary estimates suggest that restoration work and resumption of power generation may take more than six months.
