• Unit 3 was due of planned repairs in April

 Following the sudden breakdown of the Unit 3 generation unit (300 MW) at the controversial Norochcholai coal power plant, the repairs to the unit will leave the unit unavailable till mid-August, The Daily Morning learns.

According to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) spokesperson and Additional General Manager  Dhammika Navaratne, the repair of Unit 3, will take at least 120 days. Navarathne explained that the Unit 3 generation unit was expected to undergo scheduled maintenance in mid-April, which would have taken 120 days to complete. Accordingly, the CEB had planned for other thermal power plants to act as an alternative source of electricity generation for the period.

When asked why Unit 3 broke down, Navarathne said that the breakdown occurred in a turbine steam boiler. Over the past several years, Norochcholai has seen a number of breakdowns, with one causing an island wide blackout. The cause of that breakdown is still under investigation.  

Nevertheless, Navaratne stressed that if repairs can be made to Unit 3 within the next few days, the Unit will be used as and when required to fulfil generation needs until its pre-scheduled maintenance period in mid-April.

However, when The Daily Morning contacted CEB Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon to inquire about the time it may take to restore Unit 3 back to an operational state (19), he said: "It is not possible to assume it as it happened today. We will have to look into the matter and make the necessary arrangements." When asked as to whether the capacities of other power plants would be sufficient to ensure a continuous power supply, he said: "Yes, there will be no power cuts."

The breakdown was announced by Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera  who tweeted yesterday that the CEB had informed that Unit 3 of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant was inoperative due to a breakdown. 

In the Twitter message, he further noted that the CEB-owned Diesel and Fuel Oil power plants will be utilised to ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity until the said Unit is reconnected to the national grid. "Unit 3 was due to undergo major overhaul maintenance in April. To ensure an uninterrupted power supply, CEB-owned Diesel and Fuel Oil power plants will be used. There will be no power cuts due to the breakdown."

The Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, also known as the Lakvijaya Power Station is the largest power station in Sri Lanka. Since its establishment, the Power Plant has faced several breakdowns. Over the years, allegations have been made by some that the power plant had been built in a substandard manner, and that it is not up to international standards. The CEB denies these charges.