Rasika SOMARATHNA

The national power grid would be enriched by a further 300 MW (over 12 percent of the existing capacity) in November, courtesy the Norochcholai Coal Power plant, according to Mass Media and Communications Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

Minister

Rambukwella

The first phase of the Norochcholai Power Plant is to be completed in the first week of November with the coal firing being scheduled to begin in the last week of the same month. Minister Rambukwella announcing the Cabinet decisions, yesterday said that taking into consideration the fluctuating coal price index, Cabinet had granted approval to a recommendation made by Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, to issue a Government guarantee on behalf of Lanka Coal Company (LCC) enabling LCC to open a letter of credit to the value of Rs 1 billion. It was noted that the construction of Phase 1 (300 MW) of the coal fired power plant at Norochcholai is nearing completion and it is necessary to deliver the first coal shipment in the first week of November 2010 to the sight as the coal firing is scheduled to the last week of November 2010.

The cost of first shipment of 65,500 MT of coal will be US $ Seven million. The Government’s emphasis on developing the power sector has paid rich dividends with the work done in the past 60 years in this sector being outstripped during the last four years.

With the aim of providing electricity for all by 2012, the government has invested a total of Rs 90,887 million in the power sector.

The total power generation since President Mahinda Rajapaksa took over was around 1000 megawatts and with the current power projects expected to be completed in the next two years, Sri Lanka would have over 3000 MW of power.

In the power sector, the installed capacity for electricity generation from hydro, thermal and wind power presently stands at 2,407 MW, compared to 1,409 MW in 1999. Today 83 percent of the households are enjoying the grid connected electricity while another2 percent of households are provided with basic electricity connection through off-grid systems.