Rs. 815m for mini-hydro power plant

Hemanthi Guruge

Country Energy (Pvt) Ltd which is a subsidiary of Vallibel Power Erathna Plc has now commenced the commercial operations of their 4.65mw mini hydro power project at the Kiriwaneliya in the Nuwara - Eliya district.

Vallibel Power Erathna Plc Head of Finance Yogesh Suriyapperuma told Daily News Business that,the company had invested Rs 815 million for the construction of mini hydro power plant. The construction of the mini-hydro power plant was started about two years ago with an ambition to supply electricity to the national grid from 2012. The project will provide more than 25 employment opportunities in the area. Vallibel Power Erathna Plc is one of the largest private owned hydro power company in Sri Lanka, which provided 10mw to the national grid.

More than 42gwh of the electricity per annum was generated by this company using the runoff of the river Kuru River. There are numerous benefits provided by hydropower over other energy sources. It doesn’t produce air pollution or create toxic by-products like power plants that burn fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas. Hydropower can meet changing demands because it can go from zero power to maximum output rapidly and predictably.

Hydroelectric power stems from the process of using water energy. It has a low operating cost once installed and can be highly automated. With steady economic growth, the demand for energy is important especially for a developing country such as Sri Lanka.

The National Energy Policy and Strategies of Sri Lanka places renewable energy development as a high priority and considers it to be one among the nine main policy elements. This policy paper which is now being reviewed is likely to further strengthen the policy focus on renewable energy development.