by Ifham Nizam
One of the Norochcholai coal-fired power plant units, shutdown for routine maintenance, had been reactivated yesterday, a senior Electrical Engineer of the Ceylon Electricity Board said.The generator at the Plant was shut down on 22 Dec., for ‘early annual maintenance’ but the CEB engineers claim the shutdown was due to lack of coal. It caused a loss of 300 MW to the national power grid, and the shortfall was met with power produced by thermal generation plants.
The Power and Energy Ministry said that a shipment of 60,000 MT of coal had reached Sri Lanka on Friday (6).The Ministry said that another five coal shipments were expected to reach this month and payments for the five shipments had already been made.Meanwhile, a proposal is made to once again increase the electricity tariff, and the matter would be taken up today in Parliament.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the objective of the tariff hike was to cover the cost of providing a continuous supply of electricity.Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said that the PUCSL was not considering any tariff hike at the moment.
He asked the government to look into the actual financial data of the CEB to improve the cash-flow management.He also took exception to the presentation made to the Cabinet on the proposed electricity tariff hike noting that the presentation was made by the newly appointed General Manager of the Board, an engineer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy, completely disregarding the proper procedure.
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