More power in November
Supply to reach 3,000 MW by 2012:
Norochcholai Phase I gives 300 MW:
Rasika SOMARATHNA
The national power grid would be enriched by a further 300 MW (over
12 percent of the existing capacity) in November, courtesy the
Norochcholai Coal Power plant, according to Mass Media and
Communications Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
Minister
Rambukwella |
The first phase of the Norochcholai Power Plant is to be completed in
the first week of November with the coal firing being scheduled to begin
in the last week of the same month. Minister Rambukwella announcing the
Cabinet decisions, yesterday said that taking into consideration the
fluctuating coal price index, Cabinet had granted approval to a
recommendation made by Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika
Ranawaka, to issue a Government guarantee on behalf of Lanka Coal
Company (LCC) enabling LCC to open a letter of credit to the value of Rs
1 billion. It was noted that the construction of Phase 1 (300 MW) of the
coal fired power plant at Norochcholai is nearing completion and it is
necessary to deliver the first coal shipment in the first week of
November 2010 to the sight as the coal firing is scheduled to the last
week of November 2010.
The cost of first shipment of 65,500 MT of coal will be US $ Seven
million. The Government’s emphasis on developing the power sector has
paid rich dividends with the work done in the past 60 years in this
sector being outstripped during the last four years.
With the aim of providing electricity for all by 2012, the government
has invested a total of Rs 90,887 million in the power sector.
The total power generation since President Mahinda Rajapaksa took
over was around 1000 megawatts and with the current power projects
expected to be completed in the next two years, Sri Lanka would have
over 3000 MW of power.
In the power sector, the installed capacity for electricity
generation from hydro, thermal and wind power presently stands at 2,407
MW, compared to 1,409 MW in 1999. Today 83 percent of the households are
enjoying the grid connected electricity while another2 percent of
households are provided with basic electricity connection through
off-grid systems. |