News
Kelanitissa Dual Cycle Power Plant to be restored after being out of operation for over a year
By Ifham Nizam
The Kelanitissa Dual Cycle Power Plant, which was out of operations for more than a year due to technical faults, would be re-connected to the national grid on April 4, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Chairman Eng. Vijitha Herath said yesterday.
Herath told a media briefing at the CEB Headquarters in Colombo, the Dual Power Plant was currently undergoing restoration and was in the testing phase.
The power plant, which is fully owned by the CEB, commenced generating electricity in 2003 and has a capacity of 165 MW.
The CEB Chief said that out of that entire capacity 110 MW was generated by gas turbines and the remaining 55 MW by steam. After a repair of the steam turbine on July 19, 2019, it was reconnected to the national grid on October 12, 2019.
“But again, there was a breakdown in the gas turbine. Accordingly, since the repair work is mainly done by the Turbine Supply Company, this turbine has been referred to the relevant company for the repair,” he added.
The company has not agreed to repair the turbine and has said that new parts will have to be installed. Accordingly, with the approval of the Procurement Committee of the Ministry of Power, Quartzs Electric? has been sent to Dubai to repair the machinery.
The repair cost of the gas turbine is USD 1.27 million, USD 850,000 for the repair of the steam turbine and USD 75,000 for the reassembly and installation of these machines. Although the company had announced the completion of the repairs on June 20, 2020, it had completed it by July 13 due to the Corona epidemic.
The turbine was returned on 20.02.2020 due to delays in the transport of machinery to Chennai, India, for the remaining work.
The CEB Chairman also said that the Kelanitissa Dual Cycle Power Plant, is currently under investigation by a committee comprising Professor B. Wijeratne, Leelananda Rajapaksa, Leelananda Samaranayake and CEB Vice Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon.
The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Harini Amarasuriya is on an official visit to Paris, France to participate in the high-level segment of the International Expert Conference on ’An Integrated and Sustainable Approach to Safeguarding the World Heritage Property of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka and Associated Living Heritage’ which was to be held at UNESCO Headquarters today [Tuesday 1 April], with the participation of the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.
The Conference, organized by UNESCO in partnership with Sri Lanka, brings together leading international experts to discuss sustainable strategies for the conservation of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of immense cultural and historical significance.
On the sidelines of the Conference, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet senior interlocutors of the French Government to discuss bilateral cooperation and areas of mutual interest.
The Delegation of the Prime Minister includes the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) BUNGO and ETAJIMA arrived at the port of Colombo on a goodwill visit this morning (01 Apr 25).
The visiting ships were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.
The 141m long JMSDF BUNGO is an Uraga-Class Minesweeper Tender commanded by Commander TANAKA Koji and the ship is manned by a crew of 125.
Meanwhile, JMSDF Etajima, a 65-meter-long Minesweeper, is under the command of Commander Oda Takayuki and operates with a crew of 54 personnel.
During the stay in the island, crew members of the ships will explore some tourist attractions within the city of Colombo. The ships are scheduled to set sail from Colombo on 04 Apr.
“You and your families will be eliminated”
By Norman Palihawadane and Hemantha Randun
A full-scale investigation has been launched to track down an underworld character, ‘Navy Dinesh,’ a key accomplice of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, for issuing death threats over the phone to three police officers, including the Gampaha HQI, Crime Branch OIC, of the same police station, and others.
Navy Dinesh is believed to have fled the country.
According to police sources, threats were issued following the arrest of Navy Dinesh’s father and brother in connection with a drug trafficking case.
Phone analysis reports have confirmed that the calls originated from Dubai and France.
Following the murder of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, Navy Dinesh assumed leadership of the underworld gang he had previously been involved with.
Navy Dinesh contacted the Gampaha HQI, the OIC of the Crime Branch, and the investigating police constable, and threatened to kill them and their family members. “You and your families will be eliminated,” he said.
A special police team had been assigned to investigate the matter, and a report has been submitted to the courts, police sources said.
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