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National Grid up by 110 MW

by Ranil Wijayapala

Total power generation for the National Grid increased by another 110 mega watts with the commissioning of the first phase of a state-of-the-art gas-steam power plant at Kelanitissa yesterday.

With the completion of the entire Combined Cycle Power Plant project in Kelanitissa by mid-August next year, the country's power generation will be upgraded by at least 10 per cent adding 55 mega watts more into the national grid.

Five more projects are online, as measures to find remedies to the country's power crisis, targeting a total of 1155 mega watts for the grid.

Once the Kelanitissa project is completed, it will deliver 1084 GWH annually to the national grid.

Land, Irrigation and Energy Minister and Deputy Minister of Defence General Anuruddha Ratwatte who commissioned the new power plant yesterday said the project will meet the annual increase of demand estimated at ten percent.

"Our plan is to bring a 50/50 ratio between hydro and thermal power generation. It is now sixty forty," the Minister said.

The PA government has been able to increase the thermal power generation from 250 MW to 670 MW since 1994, the Minister said.

The Japanese Bank for International Corporation (JBIC) funded the project for the Ceylon Electricity Board to bear the cost of the Kelanitissa project which amounts to Rs.10.6 billion. The Japanese soft loan was Rs.9.2 billion.

The country's power generation capacity increased by 30 percent despite the many hurdles Sri Lanka had experienced during the last seven years at a cost of Rs. 57 billion while spending billions on the war. The Government sought private sector contribution in 1996 with the commissioning of Lakdhanavi Power Plant at Sapugaskanda.

A 60 MW barge mounted power plant, a novel feature to Sri Lanka in power generation was introduced in 1999.

The Government has planned five new projects which are scheduled to get off the ground soon. With the existing power projects these five projects can provid electricity to 80 percent of the population. The projects are: 70 MWs Kukuleganga, 60 MWs Wind Power in Hambantota, 160 and 163 MWs Kelanitissa combine cycle, 20 MWs diesel power plant, 840 MWs Kotmale, Broadland and natural gas power plants.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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