PUCSL permits shutting down one unit of NCPP

due to coal shortage

• shutting down of the power plant,will result in a loss of nearly 300 megawatts

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has permitted the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to shut down one of the three power plants at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant (NCPP) yesterday.

PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayake said the permission was given considering the coal shortage. However, no additional power cuts will be imposed in addition to the scheduled ones.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the Power and Energy Ministry confirmed that one NCPP plant was shut down for repairs and that the increase in scheduled power cuts will not be affected.

Due to the shutting down of the power plant, the national grid will lose nearly 300 megawatts of electricity, an official said.

He said it will cost Rs. 228 million per day to generate the 270 megawatts from the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya. It is a big loss for the Electricity Board.

Although it costs only Rs. 47 to generate a unit of electricity from the disabled generator, it costs Rs. 82 to generate a unit of electricity from the Yugadanavi Power Plant.