The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide Sri Lanka a US$ 30 million grant from its general capital resources to improve the country’s renewable energy capacity.

The primary focus of the latest funding will be to complete the Moragolla Hydroelectric Project and to develop other complementary renewable energy initiatives.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Minister of Power and Energy, received approval from the Cabinet of Ministers to allocate the funds directly to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in two installments. The Moragolla Hydroelectric Project, located in the Ulapane area of the Kandy District, is the last hydroelectric project to be constructed on the Mahaweli River basin.

Initiated in 2014, the project was funded by the ADB under its Green Power Development and Energy Efficiency Improvement Investment Programme for the CEB.

The project involves the construction of a 37-metre-high concrete gravity dam with a five-gate spillway to create a 38.5-hectare reservoir with a total storage capacity of 1.98 million cubic meters (MCM) and a Full Supply Level (FSL) of 548 meters above sea level (masl). Designed to operate as a “peaking” station, the hydroelectric plant will have an installed capacity of 30 megawatts and is projected to generate approximately 85 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually.

The project however faced delays over the years due to environmental and social concerns, particularly regarding the potential impact on local ecosystems and communities. (NR)