Power from thermal plants

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is planning to generate power and energy through thermal power plants, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

“Power generating through hydro power plants has decreased and it is not enough to fulfill the consumer demand due to heavy decline in the capacity of reservoirs which are feeding hydro power plants,” ministry sources added.

Victoria hydro power plant’s CEB electricity engineer (operations) J.A.S. Jayasinghe said the entire capacity of the Victoria reservoir is 722 million cubic meters and currently it has only 270 mcm.

“As a percentage it is only 30 percent. When the reservoir is full, Victoria generates 675 Gigawatt hours (GWh) but the present power generating capacity is only enough to generate 70 GWh,” Jayasinghe said.

The Victoria hydro power plant makes the most contribution to the national grid. It generates 1.5 GWh per day at present and fulfills 10 percent of national electricity needs. This is the largest power station and the largest dam in the country as well, he said.