Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi pauses oxygen production due to technical glitch

Following the technical glitch, district collector Dr K Senthil Raj, who is also the chairman of the monitoring committee, inspected the site along with experts here on Friday
Sterlite liquid oxygen tanker refilling the medical oxygen at Tirunelveli government medical college hospital on May 13, 2021. (Photo | V Karthikalagu, EPS)
Sterlite liquid oxygen tanker refilling the medical oxygen at Tirunelveli government medical college hospital on May 13, 2021. (Photo | V Karthikalagu, EPS)

THOOTHUKUDI: The Sterlite Copper plant, which was reopened for producing oxygen amid the COVID-19 crisis, has stopped its operations following a technical glitch. The plant authorities have roped in experts to monitor and provide realtime solutions to resume oxygen production.

Following the technical glitch, district collector Dr K Senthil Raj, who is also the chairman of the monitoring committee, inspected the site along with experts here on Friday.

A press statement said that a technical snag had developed in the cold box at the oxygen plant, leading to a temporary pause in production.

The possibility of minor technical fluctuations was anticipated as the copper smelter premises were unattended for three years.

In preparation for this scenario, a technical expert group has been on site from day one to monitor the situation and provide realtime solutions for resuming production at the earliest. "We plan to return to stabilised production soon," the statement said.

It may be recalled that the plant had produced and despatched 4.82 KL of medical grade oxygen to Tirunelveli medical college hospital on May 13.

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