Electricity for over 95 pc in three years

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

Arrangements have been made to provide more than 95 percent of the country’s population with electricity in the next years, Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Senevirathne told the media at the Ministry yesterday.

Minister Seneviratne said three major programs - Uthuru Vasanthaya, Gemi Viduliyana 4 and Gemi Viduliyana 8 programs are under way to provide electricity to all households reachable by the national grid, by the end of the 2012 at an estimated cost of $ 250 million.

He said programs would be implemented to provide electricity with solar and mini-hydro projects for rural villages which could not be connected to the national grid.

The Minister added the Uthuru Vasanthaya program has been introduced on the direction of the President to provide electricity to the people in the Northern Province. “This would be implemented as a separate program to expedite the development of the area,” he said.

He added that the role played by the CEB to provide electricity to all IDP centres in the North was commendable. “The CEB provided electricity to all IDP centres in a record time,” he said.

He said Rs. 150 million had been spent on the project. He said the Asian Development Bank and the Government had provided Rs. 450 million and Rs. 750 million to electrify Jaffna, Mannar and Kilinochchi districts.

The Minister regarded the Gemi Viduliyana 8 project funded by the Iranian Government as one of the most ambitious rural development programs launched by the Government under which some 180,000 new connections would be provided to rural areas in all districts except the North.

The Minister expressed confidence that the construction of the proposed Trincomalee coal fired power plant could be started in the current year since the final round of negotiations are being held to finalise the deal.

Ministry Secretary M. M. C. Ferdinando and CEB Chairman E. A. S. K. Edirisinghe also participated.