Sri Lanka's Mackwoods Expands Mini Hydro Power Palnts on Plantations

1st March 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's Mackwoods Energy, part of the Mackwoods group, will use part of the funds from an initial public offer to build and upgrade small hydro-power plants on plantations of a group subsidiary.

Mackwoods Energy Limited (MEL) is selling 25 million shares at 14 rupees a share to raise 350 million rupees. The subscription list will open on March 22.

According to its prospectus, part of the funds will be used to upgrade the capacity for hydropower generation within the estates in Nuwara Eliya, Kalutara and Ratnapura Districts, held by Agalawatte Plantations Ltd.

These include four existing plants under APL which are located in APL estates in Nuwara Eliya and Kalutara Districts and the construction of a green field hydro power project in an APL estate in the Ratnapura District.

Some of the power plants already supply electricity to group tea estates.

These projects will be operated and managed by stand alone project companies to be set up by MEL and APL under a joint venture agreement.

They will sign power purchase agreements with the state power utility, Ceylon Electricity Board.

MEL said it expects to receive approval from the CEB by March 2012.

Vallibel Power Erathna Newest Mini Hydro Plant Adds 7.2 MW

22nd February 2012, www.news360.lk

Sri Lanka’s Vallibel Power Erathna has started commercial operations in one of its newly built mini-hydro plant.

The company says its newly built Denawaka Ganga Mini Hydro Power Project carries a total capacity of 7.2 MegaWatts .

It was during the last month, the company started commercial operations of its 4.65 MegaWatt Kiriwaneliya Mini Hydro Power Project.

Both plants come under “Country Energy Private Limited”, a subsidiary of listed Vallibel Power Erathna PLC.

Werapitiya Hydro Power Plant at Teldeniya to Add 2MW to National Grid. Rs 450 Investment from DSI Samson Group

09th February 2012, www.dailynews.lk, By Hemanthi Guruge

Werapitiya Hydro Power Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of DSI Samson Group Pvt Ltd had invested Rs 450 million to setup a mini hydro power plant at Theldeniya in Kandy in a bid to supply electricity to the national grid from 2013.

Werapitiya Hydro Power Pvt Ltd Managing Director Ranjith Somasiri told Daily News Business that the mini hydro power plant would have the capacity to generate two megawatts of electricity. The company has already signed an agreement with the Board of Investment to setup a mini hydro power plant and it will provide employment for more than 20 people in the area.

Werapitiya Hydro Power Pvt Ltd has completed 50 percent construction of the mini hydro power plant and commercial operations will commence by the end of this year. Another subsidiary company of DSI Samson Group, Hydro Trust Lanka (Pvt) Ltd had setup its mini hydro plant in Kuda Oya in Aranayake off Mawanella to supply two megawatts to the national grid. The DSI Samson Group ventured into the area of power generation when the Sri Lankan government invited the private sector to invest in mini hydro projects to meet the rising energy demands of the country. There are numerous benefits provided by hydropower over other energy sources.

Related Info :
• A New Company to Revive Energy Projects and to Promote the Use of more Renewable Energy Sources

• Mini Hydro Power Industry Supplies 175MW to Sri Lanka National Grid, Another 119MW to be Added

• Sri Lankan Engineers Build 18MW Mini Hydro Plant in Uganda

Sri Lankan Engineers Build 18MW Mini Hydro Plant in Uganda

25th February 2011, www.news360.lk

Uganda has recently connected an 18 MW mini-hydro power plant to its national grid, which has been built by the Sri Lankan engineers.

Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Ministry announced that the new hydro power plant located 305 kilometers away from the country’s capital city “Kampala” was opened by Uganda’s Energy Minister Simon D’ujanga.

Nearly 200 Sri Lankans consisting of engineers and skilled workers have taken part to build the hydro power plant.

The facility which is known as “Mpanga Hydro Power plant” consists of a 103 meter long tunnel and 3 turbines.

Sri Lanka’s VS Hydro (Pvt) Limited is the firm who has taken over the construction work of this plant, which the investment has been around US$ 26 million.

Related Info :

• Story of VSHydro - From Premasiri Sumanasekera's Vidya Silpa, the foremost supplier of laboratory equipment for schools in Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka's CECB Consulted on Overseas Hydro and Engineering Projects

Mini Hydro Power Industry Supplies 175MW to Sri Lanka National Grid, Another 119MW to be Added

25th February 2011, www.dailynews.lk, By Indunil Hewage

Small Mini hydropower industry in Sri Lanka announced yesterday the connection of 175 megawatts to Sri Lanka national grid. Hence, 4.5 percent of the country’s electricity requirements can be supplied from the hydropower industry while saving Rs 10 billion each year from country’s foreign exchange bill.

It is targeted to feed 350 megawatts from hydropower to the national grid within the next decade.

Addressing a ceremony held in Colombo yesterday Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said 83 hydropower plants that are operational in the country adds 175 megawatts to the national grid and another 60 mini hydro plants are to be commissioned in the country by adding another 119 megawatts to the entire national grid in the future.

National Renewable Energy Authority has also called tenders inviting eligible investors to set up additional 176 mini hydro plants with 333 megawatts.

The present maximum electricity capacity in Sri Lanka is estimated 2,000 megawatts and it is estimated that it would reach up to 7,000 megawatts in 2030. The present maximum electricity capacity in the world reaches 13 terawatts and it is predicted to reach 30 terawatts in 2030.

Small Hydropower Developers Association Vice President Probodha Sumanasekera said that out of all renewable energy technologies small hydropower retains the most amount of investment within the country with an over 60 percent local contribution possible. However industry is faced with many challenges.

“There are more than 300 megawatts more of small hydropower projects which can be developed within the next five years. However most of these projects are high cost, low yield projects and we request the relevant authorities higher tariffs to justify the investments,” Sumanasekera said.

Sri Lankan engineers have also engaged in building mini hydropower projects in remote areas in Asia and Africa by exporting Sri Lankan expertise and technology to the world.

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka Non Conventional Renewable Energy Contribution to the National Grid was 6.8pct in 2010 with New Projects

Sri Lanka Non Conventional Renewable Energy Contribution to the National Grid was 6.8pct in 2010 with New Projects

22nd February 2011, www.dailynews.lk, Harshini Perera

The contribution of non-conventional renewable energy sources to the national grid has increased to 6.8 percent last year. This was 5.5 percent in 2009.

Going in line with the Government expectation, the non-conventional renewable energy sector targets to have 10 percent contribution to the national grid by the end of 2015.

The number of non-conventional energy projects that commenced in 2010 were high at 90 compared with 85 in 2009. The non-conventional renewable energy sources have contributed to the national grid with 213 megawatts as at January 31, 2011.

The main contributor for non-conventional renewable energy is still held by mini hydro power and it is 172 megawatts as at January 31, 2011.

The capacity of the mini hydro power energy is generated by 84 projects operating in the prospective areas.

The second renewable energy source is the wind power which accounts for 30 megawatts from the production of three projects.

Biomass-agricultural and industrial waste power stands next with a contribution of 11 megawatts while solar power shows less contribution with two and one projects respectively, a Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) official told Daily News Business. Few foreign investors too have shown interest in investing in renewable energy projects.

“The approval process for projects should be faster than it prevails at present and there should be more Government cooperation to the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA). The Provincial Councils too delay the approval of projects. There should be special incentives given to developers without discouraging them,” Small Hydro Power Developers Association Secretary General S B Niyangoda said.

Related Info :
• Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) to Supply 15pct of Sri Lanka's Need by 2015. Wind Power to Play a Major Role

• Sri Lanka's New Renewable Energy Tariffs Displace Wind as the Most Expensive

• High Potential for Wind Power in Sri Lanka. Five New Plants to be Built. 300MW of Power to be Added

• Sri Lanka to Build Mini-Hydro and Wind Power Plants

• $15mn Biomass Energy Investment on Dendro Plant for Gliricidia Fuel Wood to Supply National Grid 10MW

• Solar Energy Can Free Sri Lanka's Dependence on Fossil Fuels - Kanagalingam Gnanalingam, Rtrd Additional General Manager of Ceylon Electricity Board
• Power Costs to Reduce with Progressive Tariff Reforms - Energy Consultant Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya

Sri Lanka LOLC Invests in Dendro and Mini Hydro Plants

03rd September 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's LOLC group has bought into a wood fired or dendro power plant which is expected to be commissioned and connected to the national power grid in late 2011 and was also investing in 14 mini-hydro plants.

LOLC said it had acquired a 75 percent state in United Dendro Energy (Pvt) Ltd, which is building a 4 MegaWatt wood fired plant.

"A project of this magnitude faces risk in sourcing adequate raw material, which we are mitigating by having our own plantation of gliricidia," deputy chairman Ishara Nanayakkara told shareholders in the annual report.

"Land has been indentified for this purpose and the project is in its design stage with the expectation of commissioning by end-2011."

LOLC said it was also investing in 14 mini-hydropower projects to be built in Maturata and Pussellawa plantations firms at a cost of 30 million US dollars. The group had invested in the two estate firms through its unit, Browns Investments Ltd.

The mini-hydro plants will have a capacity of 27MegaWatts.

Puseellawa Plantations already had two working hydro plants with a capacity of 3.2 MegaWatts.

The two plants were already earning carbon credits. LOLC has also commissioned a 58kiloWatt solar array at its head office building that will supply 15 percent of the building's energy.