Norochcholai Coal Power Complex First Phase Opened by President Adds 300 MW to the National Grid. 600MW more to be Added by 2014

23rd March 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka will add another 600 MegaWatts of capacity to the national grid by 2014, ensuring uninterrupted 24-hour power supply, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said while commissioning the country's first coal power plant.

The country is also seriously looking at alternative, clean sources of energy, not wanting to depend on a single fuel source, Power minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

The official commissioning of the first phase of coal power complex in Norochcholai, on the north-western coast, add 300 MW to the national grid.

The power plant, built by China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation with a 450 million US dollar loan from China’s EXIM Bank, will later be expanded to 900 MW.

Rajapaksa said power plants under construction or planned will add another 600MW of power, including the Broadlands hydro power plant and a coal power plant in north-eastern Trincomalee that is to be funded and built with Indian aid.

"We have now given electricity to 87 percent of the people," Rajapaksa said. "There's no other country in the region without power cuts. We're able to provide 24-hour uninterrupted supply."

Power minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said the new 'Lakvijaya' coal power plant will help reduce costs at the state-owned power utility, Ceylon Electricity Board.

He said it costs six rupees to generate power at the plant given the price of the last coal shipment bought by the CEB but that the new plant was still cheap compared with other fossil fuels.

"Today coal has become expensive," he said.

The government is also looking at alternative energy sources and will not rely on a single fuel or power source as had been done in the past, first with hydro power and then with fossil fuel-powered plants.

"We intend to use all sources of energy to stabilise the power sector, including clean energy sources like wind, solar, mini-hydro and geo-thermal energy."

Over half the island's total power supply now comes from clean energy sources, Ranawaka said, referring to large and small hydro-electricity power stations and wind power plants.

Image: Sri Lanka’s first ever coal power plant Lak Vijaya was declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Norochcholai yesterday. Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, Deputy Power and Energy Minister Premalal Jayasekera and Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Yang Xiuping were also present. Pictures by Sudath Silva. (Image courtesy: www.dailynews.lk)

Norochcholai Coal Power Plant to Supply 300MW Electricity as First Phase Completes

26th January 2011, www.news.lk

The first phase of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant has been completed and will be opened shortly.

Under the first phase of the project, the power plant would provide around 300 MW to the national grid which is 17% of the consumer requirement.

The second and third phase will generate another 600 MW to the national grid.

This project is to be fully commissioned by 2014 with the completion of its third stage. Sri Lanka uses around 28 GW hours of power daily and the contribution through thermal power is over 60 percent.

Due to recent heavy shower the Electricity board shut down all thermal power generation plant and wholly depend on hydropower as all reserviours in the country are now at spill level.

As a result the Board could save over Rs 100 million daily "There have been immense obstacles to the development of the country due to the lack of consensus. This is evident when considering the history of the Norochcholai Power Plant Project. I feel that this project had many setbacks on various occasions because people’s needs were shrouded by political expediency", stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his message for the commenced of second phase of the
project.

The government of China has provided USD 455 mn for this task which was initiated in July 2007. The government has allocated Rs.300mn.

Sri Lanka's Norochcholai Power Plant Gets Coal from Indonesia to Add Electricity to Grid by December

30th September 2010, www.dailynews.lk, By Dinesh De Alwis

A cargo vessel with coal on board to generate electricity for the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant will arrive in Sri Lanka by October end. The cost of the first shipment of 65,500 MT of coal from Indonesia will be US$ 7 million.

Space has been allocated to store coal at Norochcholai. It has been estimated that one million tons of coal are needed to generate 300 Mw electricity during the year, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Nearly 95 percent of the first phase (300Mw) Power Plant has been completed.

The other five percent will be completed within the next three months. Pre-testing for generating electricity are being carried out by experts.

By December this year, the Ministry hopes to add coal power electricity to the national grid. The project which was delayed over a decade was started by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006. Construction of the 900 MW power plant is carried out by China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation and built in three phases costing Rs 45 billion.

Related Info:
Sri Lanka to Focus on Renewable Energy. 300MW from Norochcholai Coal Power Plant by Year End

Sri Lanka to Focus on Renewable Energy. 300MW from Norochcholai Coal Power Plant by Year End

30th July 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

The Sri Lankan government has decided to change its coal-based power generation plan and not go for more coal plants and instead shift towards renewable energy, power minister Patali Ranawaka said. The previous generation plan envisaged adding about 200 megawatts a year of coal based power plants, he said.

A 300MW coal power plant being built by the Chinese in north-western Puttalam is expected on come on stream before the end of the year and will later be expanded to a total of 900MW.

Another coal power plant is to be built by an Indian company in Sampur, near the north-eastern Trincomalee harbour.

"After the Sampur power plant comes by 2014 we will not go for any more coal power plants," Ranawaka told a news conference.

"We want to exploit clean, renewable energy sources and reduce our emissions. Also, fossil fuel reserves are being exhausted."

The short-term priority is to reduce the cost of operating expensive diesel and heavy-fuel based thermal power plants which now provide the base load power by converting to less costly fuel, he said.

Ranawaka said a US survey showed the island has a potential of about 20,000MW of wind power.

"Now our capacity is 2,500MW. If we can harness 4-5,000MW of wind power we can simply double our capacity."

A government company will be set up to exploit renewable energy sources like wind and hydro-power.

In the recent past Sri Lanka has paid a heavy price for deviating from the long term generation plan of Ceylon Electricity Board.

The plan advocated coal power nearly two decades earlier but political decision making delayed coal plants.

Analysts say other than large hydro plants most other renewal plants are expensive.

Petroleum is usually expensive because governments heavily tax oil while some renewables a sustained with public subsidies.

Most renewables are also not 'firm energy' in that they are less reliable, subject to uncertainties of weather, power sector analysts say.

In Sri Lanka for example mini-hydro come in and out of the system as and when there is water and the CEB effectively has to maintain an extra buffer.

This makes the real cost higher than the actual cash tariff paid to mini hydros. But mini hydros are also not paid a capacity charge.

Wind and solar energy plants are paid high tarriffs, compared to coal, despite being uncertain.

Dendro or wood based energy however could be more certain, as it also has an element of storage, but industry analysts fear whether supply of wood could be made reliable enough.

A small trial plant which was operated by an independent producer has also not inspired confidence among analysts.

The current generation plan envisages alternative renewable component of about 15 percent of total capacity.

Higher levels of energy which is not 'firm' especially if they are produced through a large number of small plants - especially those that cannot be centrally dispatched or brought in an out of the grid as required - may increases stresses on the national power supply.

Related Info:
Sri Lanka Tests 1st Coal Power Plant in Sept. 300MW out of 900MW Norochcholai Plant to National Grid by 2011

Norochcholai on Google Maps

Sri Lanka Tests 1st Coal Power Plant in Sept. 300MW out of 900MW Norochcholai Plant to National Grid by 2011

01st June 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka will start testing its first 300 MegaWatt coal power plant in September with plans to connect it to the national distribution grid by January 2011, power minister Patali Ranawaka said.

Sri Lanka's state-run Ceylon Electricity Board is building a 900 MegaWatt Chinese financed coal power plant on a design-build-transfer contract in Norochcholai in the north-western coast of the island. The first phase of the project is 300MW.

"We will start testing the first phase in September," minister Ranawaka said. "We hope to commission it and connect to the grid by January 2011."

Power secretary M M C Ferdinandez said the state power utility had made the first purchase of coal from Indonesia at a price of about 70 US dollars a tonne.

Sri Lanka Shipping Corporation has been engaged for transport and with freight and insurance costs, the landed cost will be about 10 US dollars higher, he said.

Ferdinandez said Sri Lanka is buying low sulphur, low moisture coal which generate lower volumes of ash when burned, which was available from Indonesia, Australia and South Africa.

The coal plant will be a base load plant which will operate throughout the day. Sri Lanka has been running expensive liquid fuel plants including gas turbines for base load making the CEB run large losses.

Coal is expected to reduce the costs of power generation. The CEB is expecting to lose about 40 billion rupees in 2010.

Phase II of Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Started. 600MW to be Added to National Grid

19th March 2010, www.dailynews.lk, By Chaminda Perera

President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated the construction work on phase II of Norochcholai coal power plant yesterday. Sri Lankan and Chinese Engineers, Ministers, higher officials of the Chinese Embassy and the Power and Energy Ministry were present.
The Phase II of the project will add 600MW to the national grid by 2012. The first phase of the project is expected to add 300 MW by November this year.

The Chinese Government provided the total cost of the project in form of a concessionary loan. The China Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation is implementing the project.

This coal fired theramal power plant which was initially planned to be implemented in 1985 was initiated by the UPFA Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa after a lapse of 20 years.

The country ‘s total electricity production by 2005 was 2407MW but Sri Lanka did not have a proper plan to meet the electricity demand which increases by 10% a year.

A number of power stations were planned in the country by this Government in compliance with the Mahinda Chinthanaya policy framework which has earmarked to make the country as the energy hub of Asia. The Kerawalapitiya power station which commenced operation last week, added over 300 MW to the national grid.

The country’s energy sector will receive a tremendous boost within a few years with the completion of several key power generation projects.

The Government has already started to upgrade the hydro power stations such as Lakshapana, Ukuwela, and several other hydro power stations.

Image: President Mahinda Rajapaksa who inaugurated construction work on phase II of the Norochcholai coal power plant with Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Yang Xiuping. (Picture by Sudath Malaweera)

Sri Lanka on Google Maps - Areas of Development Activities, Cultural, Religious and Leisure

Adamas Peak : Religious/Cultural

Anuradhapura : Religious/Cultural/Leisure

Arugam Bay : Leisure (Surfing)

Batticaloa : Investment/Leisure (Beach)

Colombo : Investment / Commerce

Galle : Cultural/Leisure (Beach)

Hambantota Magampura Port (Harbour) : Investment












Hikkaduwa : Leisure (Beach)

Jaffna : Religious/Cultural/Investment/Leisure

Kalpitiya : Investment/Leisure (Sea)














Kandy : Religious/Cultural/Leisure/Investment

Kataragama : Religious/Leisure

Kumana - Yala East National Park : Leisure (Wildlife)

Maankulam : Investment

Mannar : Investment/Leisure

Mattala (New Airport) : Investment

Negombo : Leisure (Beach)

Nilaveli : Leisure (Beach)












Norochcholai : Investment/Energy

Nuwara Eliya : Leisure

Pasikuda and kalkuda : Investment/Leisure (Beach)

Polonnaruwa : Religious/Cultural/Leisure

Pulmoddai : Investment

Sigiriya : Cultural/Leisure










Sinharaja Forest Reserve : Nature

Trincomalee : Investment/Leisure (Beach)

Wilpattu National Park : Leisure (Wildlife)

Yala National Park : Leisure (Wildlife)

See Also:
• Sri Lanka Links
• Map of Sri Lanka