Patiala: Punjab’s 920-MW Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) at Lehra Mohabbat in Bathinda shut all four generating units on Sunday and produced zero electricity as an indefinite strike by about 1,850 outsourced workers escalated into a complete work boycott amid peak paddy transplantation and the summer heat wave.GHTP chief engineer Tej Bansal confirmed the shutdown, saying the contractual workforce was critical to operations and that full generation could not resume without them. “Every role is vital, and the completion of operations requires their contribution,” he said.The shutdown unfolded in stages. Unit 1 (210 MW) went offline on June 17, while Units 2 and 3 (210 MW and 250 MW) were shut on June 19 due to ash evacuation failures and clinker formation in boilers. The fourth and final unit was shut on Sunday because of massive fly-ash accumulation, taking the plant’s entire 920 MW capacity offline.PSPCL CMD Basant Garg said negotiations with the protesting unions were underway and that one unit at GHTP Lehra would be revived soon.The shutdown comes at a time of high power demand driven by paddy transplantation and soaring temperatures. On Sunday afternoon, Punjab’s power demand touched 15,431 MW, with the state drawing 10,550 MW from the northern grid while its own gross generation stood at 4,916 MW, including 3,024 MW from independent power producers.Of the plant’s workforce, 1,852 outsourced workers responsible for operation and maintenance functions have been on strike since June 9, escalating to a total boycott on June 16. Around 550 regular PSPCL employees remain, nearly half of them technical staff, including about 150 engineers. Some sections, including ash evacuation, have been operating with a fraction of the required manpower.The PSEB Engineers’ Association warned management that deploying inexperienced personnel at the thermal station could lead to equipment damage, major accidents and loss of life. Senior officials also raised concerns over the use of untrained replacement workers for handling high-voltage equipment and high-pressure steam systems.Union leaders said the Punjab govt had, on May 24, promised to absorb outsourced workers directly under PSPCL by June 15, bypassing the contractor system. They alleged that the failure to issue a notification by the deadline triggered the agitation.
