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by Ranil Wijayapala

The construction work on the 80 MW Kukuleganga hydro power project has been geared up by taking prompt decisions to offer delayed contracts and import required equipment to feed the national grid by the end of next year.

Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya during his inspection tour to Kukuleganga project said decisions have been taken within two weeks after assuming duties at his Ministry to offer tenders which has been delayed for almost one year to facilitate the construction work.

The Minister said over 60 per cent of the construction work of the project has already been completed and gave an assurance that all decisions regarding the completion of the entire project will be taken expeditiously to facilitate it.

Power and Energy Deputy Minister Sagala Ratnayake, Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Seiichiro Otsuka, Power and Energy Ministry Secretary Prof. K. K. Y. W. Perera also accompanied the Minister during this inspection tour.

The Minister inspected the construction of the underground power station which is now in progress and the construction of the underground tunnel which diverts the waters of Kukuleganga for two turbines installed at the underground power house. The Minister also inspected the construction of the 110 metre-long dam across the Kukule ganga near Kalawana to divert water into a 5.7 kilometre tunnel with an internal diameter of 5.6 meters. Water conveyed through this tunnel will be fed into an underground power station through a 140 metre high vertical shaft.

The underground power station with two 40 MW turbines is being constructed 200 metres below ground level. After passing through the turbines to generate electricity , water is re-released to the Kukule ganga through a 1.6 kilometre tunnel.

The 80 Megawatt (MW) Kukuleganga power station will be the second underground power station in Sri Lanka.

The project is funded by the Japanese Government under a loan of 21,227 million Japanese Yen. The CEB meets the balance.

The CEB commenced the construction of this project in 1997 for the effective use of the waters of Kukuleganga which is a tributary of the Kalu Ganga.

The project area covers Ayagama, Kalawana and Agalawaththa Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Ratnapura and Kalutara districts.

The power station will enable the CEB to supply five to six per cent of the power demand by connecting it to the national grid through a 27 kilometre double circuit 132 KV transmission line connected to the Mathugama grid substation.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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