Broadlands power plant: Laying of foundation stone on Mon.

The construction of the Broadlands Hydro Power Plant (BHPP) with an installed capacity of 35 MWs will begin on Monday at the auspicious time, a spokesman for the Power and Energy Ministry said.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa will lay the foundation stone at the auspicious time of 11.00 a.m. on the invitation of Power and Energy Minister Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi at Broadland, Polpitiya, Kitulgala.

The total cost of the project is US$ 82 Million and (approximately Rs.10, 400 million) and the local commitment is 15% of the total cost. The International Development Bank in China will invest the rest. The BHPP expects to add 126 GWh annually to the national grid.

With the construction of the BHPP the infrastructure and common amenities such as roads, electricity, water supply, schools and hospitals expect to be developed rapidly and tourism will get a boost as well, he said.

The BHPP construction is spread in two districts of Nuwara-Eliya and Kegalle. The generators will be installed in Kegalle. The main dam is constructed in Broadlands Plopitiya which is belonged to Ambagamuwa divisional secretariat while the Power Plant will be constructed at Kohulathenna, Kithulgala, which is in the Kithulgala divisional secretariat division. The BHPP is considered the last major scale hydro power plant in the country.

The main tunnel that brings water to the plant from Polpitiya is 24 metres in height and 114 metres in length. The main tunnel is 15kilometres long and the diameter is 5.4 metres.