Power cuts on or off?
Power and Energy Minister paints bleak picture at news conference
Power cuts may have been temporarily lifted, but Power and Energy Minister didn’t have any bright news when he failed to give assurance of a continuous power supply for the upcoming festive season.
Addressing a news conference this week Minister Champika Ranawaka said, “at present the three hour power cut is halted as the Norochcholai power plant is back in operation and hydro levels in reservoirs have increased.”
However he said rains had only increased the water levels from 18 per cent to 23.7 per cent. The three consecutive monsoon failures and the prevailing drought condition has resulted in the reservoir storage falling to 18.9 per cent.
“This is a small increase. Though the full storage is 1258 giga watts (GWh) at present it is only 298 GWh. The average should at least be 558 GWh. Therefore, to avoid a power cut there should be more rains to hydro catchments and the Norochcholai power plant should not experience breakdowns,” the Minister said.
Following 12 breakdowns since its commissioning in 2011, with the most recent being last month, the Chinese-built 300 megawatt Lak Wijeya power plant in Norochcholai is now fully operational.
The power plant was built by the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMEC) on a US$ 450 million loan from China’s EXIM Bank. Minister Ranawaka said Sri Lanka had to start repaying the amount from 2015 onwards at five per cent annual interest.
According to the Minister, with the second phase scheduled for next year, the power plant will provide electricity to Colombo and upcoming industrial zones in Trincomalee, Kalpitiya and Hambantota. He said the cost of an energy unit using diesel was Rs. 70 while using coal was about seven rupees.
Li Chaoyang, Vice President of China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), the main constructor and the corporation’s site manager at Lak Wijeya, Wango Ludong were also present at the news briefing.
Mr. Ludong said that the team of experts was giving their fullest support to resolve the issues associated with the coal power plant.
The duration of power cuts was increased from two hours and 15 minutes to three hours and 20 minutes last month, following the shutdown of the plant on August 8. This time it was due to the formation of saline deposits on the only transmission line from Norochcholai to Veyangoda.
Energy expert Tilak Siyambalapitiya said coal power plants fully operate from the second year of its commissioning to the 15 the year, and operate 330 days a year with 35 days set out for plant maintenance.
“It is important to keep the power plant running as it is the most cost-effective plant,” he said.
Energy expert Dr. R.A. Attalage of Moratuwa University said a powergeneration plan is to be implemented using modern forecasting techniques of demand, proven rainfall prediction methods and targeting the optimum supply mix.
“With regard to the coal power plant there is a need to investigate the situation based on the expected conditions of operation, emergency shutdown and equipment safety mechanisms and related instrumentation as per the specifications,” he said.
CEB union convenor Ranjan Jayalal said there should be a permanent solution and the frequent breakdowns should come to an end.
“Instead of a cost-effective power plant what the country got is a low quality power plant that cannot function at a stretch even for three months. This frequent occurrence will lead to power cuts in the future,” he warned.
“The loan has to be paid by four million electricity consumers through their electricity bills and future power cuts will cause displeasure among public,” he said.
Anura Wijeyapala, Ceylon Electricity Board ( CEB) Vice Chairman said breakdowns in the transmission line resulted in power cuts but electricity was supplied to Colombo and commercial and industrial zones.
“The only transmission line was damaged due to saline deposits,” he said adding that another was being built from Anuradhapura to Puttalam. He said about 40 Chinese engineers were presently in Norochcholai and another team of specialists on transmissions will be joining them soon