Only rain gods can save Sri Lanka from power crisis

Colombo, March 26 (Daily Mirror) - Amidst disruption to global fuel supply, power generation is set to be a challenging task for Sri Lanka unless it rains sufficiently in the areas where the major hydropower reservoirs are located, an official said.

Electricity is generated through a mix consisting of hydroelectric power, thermal power (coal and fuel), and non-conventional renewable energy such as wind, solar, biomass and mini-hydro.

According to recent statistics, renewable sources—including hydro, wind, solar, mini-hydro and biomass—account for around 59% of Sri Lanka’s electricity generation, while the remaining about 41% comes from fossil-fuel-based thermal power such as coal and fuel oil.

The country is now facing a crisis over substandard imports of coal and external supply disruptions. Coal shipments supplied to the Lakvijaya (Norochcholai) coal power plant, the country’s largest electricity generator, did not meet the required calorific standards, affecting the plant’s efficiency.

In the meantime, the government has found it challenging to secure fuel supplies for power generation due to the volatile situation in the Middle East.

A top official of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said that some crude oil shipments had been delayed, and therefore the sufficient release of furnace oil for power generation would be a problem if there is not enough rainfall by the end of April.

“If there is rain, we can increase dependence on hydropower. In the absence of rainfall, we have to increase thermal power generation. Then, we have to release fuel for power generation adequately. Unless it rains, that will be the challenge,” he said.

Victoria, Kotmale, Randenigala, Rantembe Reservoir, Samanala Wewa, Castlereagh Reservoir, Canyon, Maussakelle Reservoir and Upper Kotmale Reservoir are the major reservoirs used for power generation.

Meanwhile, former Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka charged that Sri Lanka sustains a daily loss of 130-160 megawatts to the grid because of substandard coal used for power generation at the plant in Norochcholai.

He said the government is now under compulsion to increase thermal power generation from fuel in addition to hydropower to compensate for the loss. In the meantime, he said the daily electricity demand has also increased because of the hot, humid weather.

“The government’s coal fraud leads to a power crisis at the end,” he said.