The Lehra Mohabbat thermal power plant in Bathinda district has completely shut down all its four units amid a severe heat wave and the ongoing paddy transplantation season, raising serious concerns over power generation in Punjab. The 920-MW Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) at Lehra Mohabbat village now has zero operational capacity.
Sequence of shutdowns
According to a senior GHTP official, one unit was shut on June 17, followed by two more units on June 19. The fourth and final unit was shut on Sunday due to massive accumulation of fly ash. While three units were already non-operational, the fourth could not continue without clearing the fly ash, which required a shutdown.
Around 1,800 contractual workers at the plant have been on strike since June 16, demanding direct engagement with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) instead of being hired through contractors. The agitation began on June 9 and escalated into a full strike from June 16.
Management response and restoration efforts
GHTP Chief Engineer Tej Bansal told The Tribune, “We are hopeful that one unit with a generation capacity of 210 MW will be made operational by evening. The issue has arisen because of the strike by contractual workers. They are demanding direct engagement with PSPCL instead of being hired through contractors. Their agitation began on June 9, while all contractual workers went on strike from June 16.”
He added, “The fourth unit of 250 MW capacity was shut on Sunday because it was not possible to clear the fly ash without shutting it down. Teams are working to restore operations and we expect another unit to become functional by the evening.”
Plant workforce and fly ash problem
The plant has nearly 500 regular employees, of which about half are engaged in clerical work. With the contractual workforce on strike, the plant management has sought additional manpower to clear the fly ash and restore operations. The fly ash accumulation had reached a critical level, forcing the shutdown of the last unit.
Impact on power supply
The complete shutdown of the 920-MW plant comes at a time when Punjab is experiencing a heat wave and peak demand for electricity due to paddy transplantation. The loss of generation capacity could strain the state's power grid and lead to load shedding if other sources cannot compensate. PSPCL is exploring alternative arrangements to meet the demand.
