13 February 2020 12:40 am Views - 1008
In a bid to face the impending power crisis, the cabinet approval has been granted for emergency purchase of 100 MWs for six months and another 128 MWs for a year on a memo submitted by Power, Energy and Commuter Transport Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.
Minister Amaraweera has appraised the cabinet on the prevailing drought in the country and the fast receding water levels at main reservoirs that had affected the hydro power generation.
‘If the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) failed to go for emergency purchases, a power cut would then be inevitable in the near future,” Minister Amaraweera has sought cabinet approval for emergency power purchase to prevent a power crisis," a spokesman of the Power and Energy Ministry said.
The hydro power generation stood at 14.6% of the total power generation on Wednesday while the costly thermal power generation was at 82%.
“One of the main reasons for the power crisis is the delay in the construction of the proposed 300 MWs LNG power plant at Kerawalapitiya. Minister Amaraweera is determined to start construction on this power plant within the next two months after coming to a compromise with the litigants who have filed a case challenging the tender procedure finalized on the construction of the phase II power generation project at Kerawalapitiya,” the spokesman added.(Sandun A. Jayasekera)