CEB begins power plant rehabilitation

A power plant rehabilitation project has been launched by the CEB to increase the generation capacity of the existing hydro electricity plants.

This follows instructions given by Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne, a Ministry release said. Hydrel schemes such as Wimalasurendra, Laxapana, Ukuwela and Victoria have performed below capacity level due to lack of proper rehabilitation programmes over the years.

Under the proposed project, desilting would be undertaken in these plants to clean up machinery and increase generating capacity.

As a first step desilting would be launched in the Wimalasurendra and Laxapana power stations under a JICA aid scheme from December.

Rehabilitation work had already started at Ukuwela and Victoria power stations.

The Ministry said a feasibility study was also under way to double the capacity of the Victoria Plant from its present 210 Megawatt output.

All these projects are estimated to cost Rs. 8,000 million.