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Sapugaskanda Refinery closure: 200 MW offline as furnace oil runs dry

02 Apr 2022

  • New shipments expected this week
  • Many plants inoperative due to shortage of furnace oil
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The existing furnace oil shortage in the country has forced several key power plants owned by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to completely halt operations in the midst of a severe power crisis, The Sunday Morning learns. The furnace oil-fired power plants generated around 200 MW, which is now unavailable, and the paying customers of the CEB remain in the dark for hours on a daily basis. Furnace oil for the power plants is generated locally at the Sapugaskanda Refinery. However, the recent closure of the only refinery in Sri Lanka due to the cost involved in the importation of crude oil has left them running dry. It is understood that the CPC has depleted the furnace oil reserves it held. Further, operations of the Kelanitissa Power Station (KPS), which generates a total of 115 MW, had  been temporarily halted due to the ongoing diesel shortage until a total of 5,000 MT of Lanka auto diesel was transferred yesterday (2), it is learnt. When contacted by The Sunday Morning, CEB Spokesman Additional General Manager Andrew Navamani said the power plants including Uthuru Janani (24 MW), Sapugaskanda A and B Power Plants (64 MW and 54 MW), and Barge Mounted Power Plant (60 MW) were inoperative at present due to the shortage of furnace oil. However, he noted that a shipment of furnace oil was expected on 7 or 8 April and following the receipt of the required stocks, operations would resume. Meanwhile, as per the CEB statistics as of yesterday (2), 57.2% of the country’s total energy requirement is being supplied by the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant and the thermal oil contribution to the national grid has now dropped to 9.9% due to the ongoing severe fuel shortage.  Even with low water levels in the hydropower reservoirs, 24.6% of the total energy requirement is being supplied via hydropower with 8.9% from Laxapana, 11.8% from Mahaweli, and 3.9% from Samanala hydro complexes. 


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