Upper Kotmale Project:

Nearly 80 percent work complete

Nadira Gunatilleke

Nearly 80 percent of the construction work of the Upper Kotamale Hydro Power Project has been completed. The project will add 150 MW of electricity to the National Grid by the end of this year, a Power and Energy Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the installation of power generating machines is in progress. machine parts have been imported from a Japanese company.

The machines are being installed under the supervision of the Japanese company which handle the contract.

Once completed, the project will add 409 MW of electricity to the National Grid annually. Japan International Bank for Corporation (JIBC) provided a loan of Rs 34 billion for the project.

The loan is to be paid within four years with a 10-year relief period.