‘Lighting up’ the lives

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

With a view to light up every Sri Lankan household by 2012 and meet the day to day increasing demand in electricity, President Mahinda Rajapaksa drew special attention on the electricity sector through Mahinda Chinthana. Lighting up whole of Sri Lanka is the focus.

In accordance with Mahinda Chinthana, the government of Sri Lanka has set a target to provide all households with electricity by 2012 while allocating billions of funds for the development of the sector. However, over 80 percent of the households in the country have already been supplied with electricity through mega power projects that have been implemented under a long-term infrastructure development plan.

Lighting up every home

Setting of a target to provide every household with electricity is a clear indication that the Government has taken every possible step for the well-being of people.

Actually that is a great challenge when most of the countries in the world are facing with severe energy crisis or will face it in the future, Even though Sri Lanka is in a satisfactory position since Sri Lanka has taken many steps to get rid of a probable energy crisis in the future.

The forecast made by the CEB on the growth of electricity demand in the country, projects a growth between 7 to 8 percent annually in the next decade. Due to the rapid growth in some sectors of industry and the accelerated effort in electrification, the demand may increase than predicted.

Under this program the government has implemented 32 projects in respect of the power and energy sector during 2006 to 2010, just within four years. The government has allocated millions of funds for these projects including two atomic energy base projects.

Kerawalapitiya Combined Cycle Power Plant Project has already been commissioned in March 2010. The power plant adds 300 MW to the national grid. The government has allocated Rs. 36,823 million for this project. The objective of launching the combined cycle power plant was to avert a major power crisis in 2008 which would have severely hampered prospects for development of the country. The total projects cost was Rs 36,823 million funded by the government.

The completion of such mega power project with the expertise of local engineers is a victory for the country in its journey to achieve economic prosperity. Moreover the project was completed within a record two year period.

Strengthening Dams

The construction of Upper Kotmale hydro power project is scheduled to be commissioned by December 2011 since around 70 percent of the construction has been completed by now. The project will add 150 MW to the national grid. With the financial assistance of JICA Ceylon Electricity Board has allocated Rs 37,269 million for this project. The construction of the longest tunnel among power projects in Sri Lanka has been already completed under the Upper Kotmale Hydro power project.

A dam has been constructed across the Kotmala Oya at Talawakele close to the Talawakele town area. The hight of the dam is 35.5 metres and it is 180 metres in length. The Upper Kotmale underground power house is located at Niyamgamdora. Water will be carried through the longest tunnel to the underground power house from the reservoir.

The Puttalam Coal Power project is also a mega power project which will produce 900 MW to the national grid. The Coal Power project consists of three 300 MW generating plants is being constructed at Norochcholai in the Puttalam District.

The first phase of the project is under the final stage and it will be commissioned by 2011 adding 300 MW. Under the second phase another 600 MW will add to the national grid. The total project cost is Rs 154,790 million and China financially assists to the project providing the total project cost. No sooner completing the first phase the second phase of Puttalam Coal Power project will commence.

Hydro power plant expansion

After receiving the Cabinet approval the construction of the Broadland Hydro power Project (BHP) which is the last of the series of hydro power plants of Laxapana Hydro power complex will commence with immediate effect. The project is now at the tender stage. The construction of the BHP will be completed by the end of 2014. The significant of the project is that the project can prevent carbon emission by 86,000metric tons per year.

The state can earn US $ 2.4 million per year through carbon trading. The project will have an installed capacity of 35 MW and expect to generate 126 Gwh of electrical energy annually. The Broadland Hydro power plant will utilize water of the Kelani river will be built near Kithulgala at a cost of Rs 9,348 million.

Infrastructure development programs

In addition the Government spends Rs 12,528.26 millions on rehabilitation three power stations. Under this Ukuwela Power Station (40 MW), New Laxapana (100 MW) and Wimalasurendra Power Station (50 MW) and Old Laxapana Power Station (50 MW) are being renewed.

The renovation of Ukuwela power station will be completed by March 2011. Rehabilitation of New Laxapana and Wimalasurendra will be completed by January 2013 while the rehabilitation of Old Laxapana will come to an end by June 2013. Under the infrastructure development programs connected to the power and energy sector several projects have been implemented. Trincomalee Integrated Infrastructure Project and Colombo City Electricity Distribution Development Project are among them.

The allocation for Colombo City electricity project is Rs 10,641.9 million while Euro 2.45 million has been set apart for the Trincomalee Integrated Infrastructure project. Both projects are in progress.

Colombo city project is scheduled to be completed on December 31 this year. Under the Trincomalee project more than 38 Km of electricity line will be constructed. Under the Colombo project many development activities are under way such as the construction of 8,086 km of 123 KV underground power transmission line from Kelanitissa Grid Substation to Kolonnawa Grid Substation, Construction and Rehabilitation of distribution system, establishment of distribution control system and so on.

Coal power project

The Trincomalee Coal Power project also known as Sampur Coal Power Station is also among the major projects in power and energy sector in the country. The large coal-fired power station is currently under construction in Sampur, Trincomalee. The MOU for the first 500 MW phase was signed in 2006 between the government, Ceylon Electricity Board and National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) of India.

The coal power project will provide the national grid with 500 MW by 2012 under its phase one. The construction of the first phase is being carried out by the NTPC under the supervision of CEB. The government allocated Rs 56,000 million for this project. After commissioning the first phase, the construction of the second phase which will be completed by 2015 will commence.

Three projects for transmission line development have been implemented at a cost of Rs 11,717.12 million. Under this, the construction of 22KV Transmission Line from Kerawalapitiya to Kotugoda has already been completed while the Transmission line to Vavuniya to Kilinochchi will be completed by 2012. The construction project of 67.2 Km transmission line from Kilinochchi to Chunnakkam will be commissioned by 2013.

Under the theme ‘Clean Energy and Access Improvement’ several projects have been implemented with a view to protect the environment while achieving better efficiency in transmission systems. Accordingly, the government has initiated several projects such as modernizing the system control unit of the CEB, strengthening grid substation, strengthening transmission lines, augmentation for renewable energy projects and so on.

Atomic Energy Plants

All these projects are scheduled to be completed in 2013. With the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank, the government has allocated Rs 14,955 million for these projects. In addition to those projects two Rural Electrification Projects are in progress at a cost of US $ 138.5 million. These projects will be completed by 2012.

In line with the ongoing Uthuru Wasanthaya, Negenahira Navodaya and Uva Udanaya programs, several electrification projects have been implemented such as Kegalle District Lighting Sri Lanka project, Eastern Province Lighting Sri Lanka project (Trincomalee, Batticaloa), North Central Province Lighting Sri Lanka Project, Lighting Sri Lanka Projects for Kandy, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Southern Province and Western Province. All these projects are scheduled to be commissioned by 2012.

The Atomic Energy Authority of Power and Energy Ministry is going to implement two projects base on atomic energy at a cost of Rs 1,012 million. With the financial assistance of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a Multi-purpose Gamma Irradiation Facility (MGIF) centre will be established. All exporters such as medical gloves and spices will be benefited.

This project will be carried out under Randora investment program which has been prepared base on Mahinda Chinthana. As the second project, National Centre for Non-Destructive Testing (NCNDT) will be established with the assistance of IAEA.

Support for low income families

Meanwhile the Power and Energy Ministry introduced Viduli Athwela program which assists low income families to get the electricity connection. Ceylon Electricity Board together with Samurdhi Bank carry out the Viduli Athwela, the financial assisting program aiming to assist every family to get the electricity connection from national grid.

Through the program, the Samurdhi Bank, will grant a soft loan up to Rs 30,000 maximum. After a six month grace period, the loan can be settled in 48 installments, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka Said.

Low income families, especially Samurdhi recipients will be benefited by Viduli Athwela because the low income situation has become a hindrance for obtaining the electricity supply since a considerably high initial payment has to be made when obtaining the electricity connection from CEB. As a remedy for this financial drawback, the Viduli Athwela program was introduced, the Minister added.

The Minister further said that electricity tariff in the country is high. “Our aim is to control and bring down the high electricity tariff to an affordable amount while providing every household with electricity,” Minister Ranawaka noted.