Resus Energy connects first ground-mounted solar PV plant to national grid

Diversifying its portfolio, Resus Energy PLC, a forerunner in renewable energy, operating a number of mini hydropower stations in Sri Lanka, recently connected the first of its ground-mounted solar PV plants to the national grid.

The development rights were secured from a government tender floated under the Sooriya Balasangramaya programme to procure 60x 1MW solar PV projects. With a total capacity of 2MW, built at a cost of over Rs.300 million and equipped with tier-one class solar PV panels, these are the first ground-mounted solar PV power stations connected to the Ampara 
grid-substation.  

With the government further pledging to achieve 70 percent of the electricity generation from renewables in 2030, Resus Energy Managing Director Kishan Nanayakkara said, “It is commendable that our government has set an ambitious target to achieve a high level of renewable energy generation. That showcases true interest to partner the global effort to combat climate change and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Resus Energy is happy to partake in fulfilling that dream.”

He added, “Sri Lanka being a signatory to the 2015-Paris Agreement on climate change, had pledged support for it and is thus obligated to adhere to the implementation of SDGs. The target set for renewables put us on the right course to achieve SDG 7, which is about the provision of Clean and Affordable Energy.”

Despite navigating through a difficult year hit by a global pandemic, leading to long lockdown periods, Resus Energy continues to keep faith in its expansion drive and support the country’s renewable energy drive and its economic liberation. In addition, Resus Energy had also commissioned a couple of mini hydropower stations in the recent past. 

Located in the Kandy and Kegalle districts, those add 2MW and 1.2MW, respectively to the national grid. The company is also currently developing another mini hydropower project in the Nuwara Eliya district. Fed by Madulla Oya, a main tributary of Uma Oya, the project is built at an estimated cost of Rs.700 million and expected to feed 2.4MW to the national grid from the middle of this year.

With the recently grid-connected solar PV and mini hydropower stations, Resus Energy PLC now operates nine grid-connected power stations, with an aggregated capacity of over 15MW and the estimated annual energy generation standing over 45GWh.