Norachcholai coal power plant office opens today

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO: The project office of the Norachcholai Coal Fired Power Plant will be opened at the Cambridge Place, Colombo by Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Senevirathne today.

The construction of the 900 MW first ever coal fired power plant at an estimated cost of US$ 455 million was ceremonially opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa last May. The construction work being carried out under the supervision of Chinese Engineers and 400 more engineers were due here within next two weeks, a media release issued by the Power and Energy Ministry stated.

The construction of new houses for 72 families displaced due to the project was completed and would be handed over to them by the end of October, the release said.

The first phase of the power plant will be completed by 2010 with power generating capacity of 300 MW, while the second and the final phases will be completed by 2012. The project will be funded under a Chinese credit facility.