Vallibel Power Erathna launches official website

M F Jabir

Vallibel Power Erathna PLC, launched its official website vallibel-hydro.com on Friday. The significant factor about the web was its energy saving feature, said L D Dickman, Director/General Manager Vallibel Power Erathna PLC. He said anyone who entered their web could save energy by pressing the special energy saving icon on the screen.

Jt Chief Executive Officer, Vallibel Power Erathna PLC, Russell De Zilva said the company initially commenced with an investment of Rs 950 million.

He said the company's benchmark short term target was to generate 50 MW renewable energy and their cumulative contribution to the National Grid from running projects, had currently been 21.8 MW. “We are planning to expand to other renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, our main objective being to harness renewable energy and supply it to the Nation, he added.

Vallibel Power Erathna PLC, a public quoted company on the Colombo Stock Exchange, was the largest privately owned, run-of-the-river hydro power company in Sri Lanka, with an installed capacity of 9.9 MW. It began constructions in July 2002 and commenced commercial operations in July 2004, reaching the normal operational capacity in October 2004.

The company generates and dispatches approximately 42 gWh of electricity per annum to the Ceylon Electricity Board, using the runoff of the river Kuru River. In the context of protecting the environment, its operation is equivalent to reducing approximately 28,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.

With a firm committment to explore renewable energy projects that will protect the environment, provide benefits to communities and reward investors, Vallibel Power Erathna PLC has installed state-of-the-art turbines, generators and control equipment which had been manufactured and supplied by Voith Siemens of Germany, a world renowned manufacturer.

Vallibel Power Erathna PLC has etched a name in the hydro power generation sector as the largest private owned hydro power company. Over the past six years, it has achieved a remarkable financial performance and its mission was to generate the maximum amount of electricity from the available water resources with minimum environmental pollution, by optimizing operational efficiencies of its assets. Vallibel Power Erathna PLC has completed more than half a decade of successful operations. Its principal business was constructing, implementing and the operating of mini hydro power projects. The Erathna Small Hydropower plant is a run-of-the-river hydro plant located in Ratnapura. The company generates approximately 42 gWh of energy each year. State-of-the-art technologies powered by Voith Siemens machinery to make up the company's solid infrastructure. Two turbines of 5.15 MW installed capacity each and two generators with a capacity of 5.6 MW each, drive its hydro-electricity generation. And keeping in line with government environmental policies, the company operates in an environment-friendly manner while observing all mandatory stipulations. The company acquired Country Energy (Pvt) Ltd., in November 2009, which held the rights to develop two hydro power projects at Ratnapura and Norton Bridge; the Denawaka Ganga Hydro Power Project and the Kiriwaneliya Hydro Power Project. These two projects have obtained all statutory approvals required for implementation and on completion, the two projects will have a cumulative installed capacity of 11.85 MW.

Renewable energy has become the investment sector's choice for prudent investment the world over. As more and more people become concerned about the potential global warming effects of hydro power and other environmental concerns arising from constructing huge dams and flooding vast swathes of land, there is increased interest in run of the river hydro electricity generation. Installation of such systems has been relatively cheap and has very little environmental impact. The Sri Lankan model for small hydro development was acclaimed the world over for its focus, technical innovations, competitive costing and quality of construction.

The private sector developers in Sri Lanka has added over 175 MW of cumulative capacity in small hydro power projects commonly known as run of the river hydro power plants. Sri Lanka has a significant potential for mini hydro power development, especially in the low and medium head sectors.