Sri Lanka commissions first coal-fired power plant

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa today ceremoniously declared open the country's first ever coal-fired 'Lakvijaya' power plant at Norochcholai in the Puttalam District of Northwestern Province.


The plant that was built with a $450 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, will add 300 megawatts to the national grid in its first phase. With the second phase to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $891 million, the plant will ultimately have a capacity of 900 megawatts.
The main contractor of the project is China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation. Sri Lanka obtained 65,000 metric tons of coal for the plant from Indonesia at a cost of US$ 70 million.
The first phase of Norochcholai Coal Power Plant was inaugurated by President Rajapaksa on 11th May 2006.
Construction work on the second phase of the plant is already in progress and the construction of the third stage is to begin in 2012 and is to be completed in 2013.
Once completed the three phases at a cost US$ 1.35 billion, the Lakvijaya plant will enhance the capacity of the national grid of Sri Lanka with an expected output of 1658 Gwh of annual energy at distribution level for delivery to consumers and provide a sustainable solution to the country's ever increasing energy needs.
The charges for generating power are expected to decrease with this ambitious project which is to supply 17% of the country's energy demand.
Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka, Deputy Minister of Power and Energy Premalal Jayasekara and the Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka Mr. Ye Dabo were also present at the opening.
(Photos by Sudath Silva)