News
Completion of 35MW Broadlands hydro plant held up due to non-availability of Chinese experts
by Ifham Nizam
The completion of 35MW Broadlands hydro plant scheduled for December is expected to be further delayed due to the non-availability of top Chinese experts in Sri Lanka, officials said.
The delay will further add to the debt burden of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), which is projected to be between Rs. 55 and Rs. 60 billion as against Rs. 85 billion in 2019, they asserted.
With the proposed commissioning of the plant, the CEB would save more than Rs. 10 million per day, the officials said.
CEB Chairman Eng. Vijitha Herath told The Sunday Island that despite coranavirus fear worldwide in May, the tunnel was completed in two stages. However, the Power House installation has to be handled by the Chinese experts.
He said that 45 Chinese experts were expected here and the delay was due to corona pandemic. However, plans are underway to get them down at the earliest.
He also said that it would take about three months to complete the 35 MW Hydro Power Plant, which will generate 125 million units or 125 GWh annually, which works out to a saving Rs. 3.75 billion.
The CEB senior management recently visited the 3.5km tunnel of the proposed Broadlands Project on the instructions of the Presidential Task Force led by Senior President’s Advisor Basil Rajapaksa.
The 35 MW plant over the Kelani River at Kitulgala is being constructed by the Chinese government-owned China National Electric Equipment Corporation, while its consultancy and monitoring is by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau of Sri Lanka.
The total estimated cost of the project is USD 82 million, which was partially financed by a USD 69.7 million loan from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The balance is funded by the Hatton National Bank of Sri Lanka.
The Broadlands project is the last plant in the Lakshapana cascade power station complex on the Kelani River system, which was started 50 years ago.
The construction of the Plant would prevent some 88,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. A unique feature that the project is that it is Sri Lanka’s first large-scale hydropower plant associated with the Clean Development Mechanism established under the International Kyoto Protocol.
After the completion of the project, plans have been prepared to construct an energy park, including a hydropower museum in the area expecting the area as a tourist attraction.
Senior engineers of the CEB said that sidelining two important hydro power projects, which were scheduled to go into operation from 2015, were among some controversial proposals included in the Board’s Least Cost Generation Plan.
A senior engineer said that the plan to sideline crucial and inexpensive hydro generation projects had cost the CEB at least Rs. 5 billion rupees annually as it had to rely on costly thermal power to fill the void. “In other words, it is between Rs. 20 and Rs. 25 billion of public funds,” he said
Broadlands 35MW and Uma Oya 120MW hydro plants were scheduled to commence operations by the beginning of 2015, as per the 2011 plan. However, in the 2011 plan addendum and 2013 plan, they were put off due to some unknown reason to commence in 2016, but further delays have held up their commissioning, an official said.
The delays should be investigated, senior engineers said, while pointing out that holding back the construction of the hydro plants had an adverse cost implications on the CEB and the country at large.
It also added to the worsening air pollution situation through the use of thermal plants, he said.
Latest News
Heat index, is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 27 April 2025, valid for 28 April 2025
The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
Latest News
People have now started to think of themselves as Sri Lankans sans ethnic or religious divisions- PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that for the first time in history, mosques in Kandy had opened their doors to accommodate the needs of devotees visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and that people have now started to think of themselves as Sri Lankans beyond dividing into ethnicities and religions.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a public gathering held in the Paragahadeniya area in Kurunegala.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated:
“This country is undergoing a transformation we expected,so accordingly, we must operate in new ways. People are beginning to feel that we must work towards a new transformation. We can see this change even within our ministries. These days, sometimes when we visit ministries even after 5 PM, and ask if it is possible to have discussions, the officials are always open. Today, public officials are willing to work late into the night, until 9 or 10 PM. Officials have now started working without fear.
Remarkably, for the first time in history, Muslim mosques in Kandy remained open throughout the night to accommodate pilgrims visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. They even provided space for devotees to rest. There were no ethnic or religious tensions. What we saw was respect for other ethnicities and religions. This is happening because there is now a sense of a government that represents all Sri Lankan people, not just Sinhalese, Muslims, or Tamils”.
The event was attended by the candidates for the local government election including the residents of the area.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has urged the NPP government to prevent Japan’s Onomichi Dockyard Company from selling its 51% ownership stake in the Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL) to Indian government-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai, a leading shipbuilder.
FSP spokesman Pubudu Jayagoda told The Island yesterday (27) that the move seemed to be in line with the overall India-Sri Lanka understanding on the basis of the recently signed memorandum on defence cooperation.
Against the backdrop of deteriorating financial situation, the Japanese company has informed the board of directors of CDL of its plans to divest its 51 percent ownership stake in the international shipbuilding and repair company. The Japanese shipbuilder made the announcement in early Dec last year.
Alleging that an agreement has been reached on the sale of Onomichi’s controlling ownership stake to the Indian ship builder, Jayagoda questioned
the move as Mazagon primarily built a range of warships and attack submarines. Jayagoda pointed out that according to Mazagon’s profile, the Indian government-owned business undertaking was involved with European companies engaged in ship and submarine construction.
Addressing a Local Government election meeting at Weeraketiya, Pallekanda, in support of those contesting the May 6 election on the ticket of Jana Aragala Sandhanaya (JAS), the executive committee member of JAS Jayagoda emphasized that in terms of the agreement between Sri Lanka and Japan, Onomichi couldn’t sell its stake without the Sri Lankan government’s approval. Therefore, the NPP government should intervene to halt the Japanese-Indian move, the FSP spokesman said while urging the parliamentary opposition to publicly oppose the planned sale of the Japanese stake.
Among other stakeholders are Sri Lanka Insurance, Sri Lanka Ports Authority and EPF.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Heat index, is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts
People have now started to think of themselves as Sri Lankans sans ethnic or religious divisions- PM
Heavy showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Vavuniya, Mullaittivu and Kurunegala districts.
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