Two killed, many hurt in power plant blast in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district

Shimla: At least two workers were killed and half a dozen others injured in a blast at the 450-MW Shongtong-Karcham hydropower project which is under construction in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

While one of the deceased hailed from Kerala, another was from Nepal, Kinnaur Superintendent of Police Rahul Nath said.

The blast occurred in the morning when an engineer was inspecting a dynamite installed to carry out a blast.

The injured have been hospitalised.

The project in Kinnaur, about 300 km from the state capital, is being executed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL).

A case has been registered, police said.

Three people were killed at 100-MW Sorang power project, owned by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA), in Kinnaur district when an inlet valve - controlling water supply to the turbine - burst on November 18 last.

In June this year, three engineers were killed while fixing a new turbine at the 2-MW Rongtong hydroelectric plant near Kaza town in Lahaul-Spiti district.