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No extended power cuts despite five-day Norochcholai breakdown: Kanchana Wijesekera

03 May 2022

  • CEB assures Energy Minister and begins repairs
BY Pamodi Waravita Unit One of the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai suffered a technical breakdown yesterday (3), prompting the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to commence an approximately five-day-long repair work concerning it, with an assurance made to Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera that the breakdown would not result in extended power cuts. “The CEB has informed of a technical breakdown in one of the 270 megawatts (MW) power plants in Norochcholai. The CEB commenced repair work and assured that they will reconnect within five days, and manage the power cuts without further extensions to it by using thermal and hydro plants,” Minister Wijesekera Tweeted yesterday. Speaking to The Morning, CEB Spokesman Andrew Nawamani said that the plant has been operational continuously for the past three months and that although this is not scheduled maintenance, “it must be done”. CEB sources told The Morning yesterday that due to a “vibration in one of the induced draught fans of Unit One”, this maintenance is necessary and that it will take about five days. They added that the CEB already has the equipment necessary for it. The public experienced as much as 13 hours of power outages a day in March, as the CEB could not procure enough fuel for its thermal power stations due to the US dollar shortages in the country. Hydropower generation remains minimal, as the rains have still not properly increased yet, and thus, the Lakvijaya Power Station adds a valuable 900 MW to the national grid. Wijesekera said on Monday (2) that on average, water levels in reservoirs have increased to 46% this month, but that the Mahaweli area is yet to experience heavy rains. Meanwhile, The Morning reported last month that there are concerns about the payments for the upcoming maintenance at Unit Two of Lakvijaya, considering the current US dollar shortage in the country. This is a scheduled overhaul that is due to happen in June and requires the assistance of China and is recommended to be done every four years.  The maintenance has already been delayed by about two years, but the agreement to conduct it this year has already been drawn up. It is learnt that there is one cost of about $ 12 million for the maintenance, and another of about $ 9 million for the payment for the Chinese engineers and their insurance, totalling $ 21 million. Yesterday, CEB sources told The Morning that there are increasing concerns about this maintenance as the CEB is finding it difficult to open letters of credit (LCs) to import the necessary equipment for the maintenance.


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