Pre-feasibility study on:

CEB takes nuclear aim

Local experts to Russia for special training:

Dinesh De Alwis

The first nuclear power plant will be established between 2025-2030 in Sri Lanka and after which nuclear electricity unit can be sold at Rs 6, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said at a media briefing yesterday.

A pre-feasibility study is being done by team of experts chaired by Prof K K Y W Perera. The team of experts include members of the Ceylon Electricity Board,Atomic Energy Authority, Moratuwa University and Geological Survey and Mines Bureau.

The pre-feasibility study report will be handed over within six months. The feasibility study will be launched after that.

Ranawaka said complete guidelines about establishing nuclear plants have been provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency and future action will be taken according to those guidelines.

“According to the Atomic Energy Act this technology is only for power generating purposes. Rumours are spreading that technology will use for other purposes. In the near future, we will send Sri Lankan scientists and technical experts to Russia for a special training. Constructing a nuclear power plant is not easy. It is a very difficult. It takes only six months to construct a Wind Power Plant. It takes four months for solar power plant but it takes over 10 years for a nuclear plant,” the Minister said.

Energy consumption has increased by eight percent within this year. If the energy demand is increased at this rate, energy consumption will be double by 2018, Ranawaka said.

The Minister said that to construct a single MW nuclear power plant, it costs US$ 4 Million and Rs 2 to generate one KW hour of electricity. The Ceylon Electricity Board can sell a nuclear electricity unit for around Rs 6 to the public.

It needs three million tons of coal per year to generate 1000 MWs electricity but it only needs one Uranium ton per year to generate nuclear power.