Recent power disruptions: Mainly due to delay in Uma Oya Project: Ravi

17 April 2019 04:11 am - 15 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The cause for the recent power disruptions was due to the delay in launching the Uma Oya Hydropower project, Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake said after visiting the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.

He said he hoped to complete this project as soon as possible and added that once the project was completed by mid next year, another 120 megawatts of electricity would be fed to the national grid.

He said the estimated capacity of the project is 120 Mw and the expected annual energy production was 231 Gwh.

"The project consists of two small reservoirs near Puhulpola and Dyraaba linked by a tunnel. A transbasin tunnel will divert the water from Uma Oya to Kirindi Oya via the underground Power Station located at Randeniya. The power plant will be connected via a 27 Km 132 Kv transmission line to the Badulla Grid Substation. The total cost of the project is US$529 million and Rs.6 billion. The Iranian Government will provide US$450 million through the Export Development Bank of Iran as a loan," the minister said.

The contract between the Irrigation & Water Management Ministry and the Farab Energy and Water Project Company, the nominated contractor from Iran was signed on April 28, 2008, and the contract became effective in March 2010. The project was expected to be completed in June 2018. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

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Comments - 15

Upul Wednesday, 17 April 2019 06:42 AM

8 years to build a,120 Mw power station ? Solar power would have built 500 Mw with 460 Gwh in 2 years. And solar power capital cost is coming down very fast.

Unchikun Wednesday, 17 April 2019 09:16 AM

Solar power is only generated during daytime. The peak demand in Sri Lanka is at night. So a buffer power system has to be needed with will have to be thermal. Storage batteries as still a long way off.

Dee Wednesday, 17 April 2019 06:10 PM

Unchikun- Solar can be used during daytime and thermal/hydro combination could be used to balance off during night. I'm addition, private panels can also supply the main grid reducing the peak commercial load requirements from hydro/thermal.

Upul Wednesday, 17 April 2019 06:51 AM

India's Kamuthi 648Mw Solarpower plant cost was $ 678 million. Solar panel prices have halved since then .We could have got 5 - 10 times the capacity for the same cost. CEB Engineers have to think out of the box and give preference to Solar and Wind power.

upul Wednesday, 17 April 2019 07:00 AM

Pavagada Solar Park in Ondia 2000 Mw plant built in only 3 years. Solar will be the way forward. Ask India and China. Cost per Kw is only $1 few years back Now it would have come down even more.

Sonali W Wednesday, 17 April 2019 07:45 AM

Well your yahapalanaya Govt stopped the project after coming power. Then started again just like port city. That’s the delay.

dulan de silva Wednesday, 17 April 2019 09:50 AM

They had to stop as large number of residences were been damaged and affected as a proper environment assessment was not done

Dam Wednesday, 17 April 2019 08:19 AM

Ha ha ha ha

Samare Wednesday, 17 April 2019 09:05 AM

LOL. the same minister promised to end power cut by April 10. Oh... wait, he didn't mention which year.

BuffaloaCitizen Wednesday, 17 April 2019 09:06 AM

Stop the bullshit blame game and find solution for it. We are not paying u for warming the parliamentary seat and making blame statements.

Dhammika Gunaratne Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:07 AM

There are so many companies awaiting approval for SOLAR , MINI HYDRO and WIND POWER projects . At least WAKE UP now and expedite approvals so the future will not have BLACK OUTS .

Jaliya Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:10 AM

120 Mw power plant with infrastructure of water tunnels and underground construction with 27 Km 132 Kv transmission line cost cannot be anymore than 231M US$ inclusive of fat commissions and hefty paybacks. Someone has siphoned large amount of public wealth in the wake of power crisis. sri lanka will never recover from its debt to the panda's and the camels ... A land like no other we have more debt than the land mass in sq Km's

Kumara Dharmarathne Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:42 AM

Why didn't you say this at the beginning, may be you took little longer to cook this up.

Dee Wednesday, 17 April 2019 06:12 PM

The only way to solve the power issue is by privatising the CEB. Even if RK stands on his head, nothing good will come out with the present setup!

perera Thursday, 18 April 2019 11:15 AM

there is no money to be made by these thieves!

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Recent power disruptions: Mainly due to delay in Uma Oya Project: Ravi

Comments - 15

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