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Sri Lanka on threshold of development

The country had been plunged into darkness without electricity at night mainly for two reasons in the past - poor power generation during droughts or when the LTTE’s small aircraft flew low, targeting strategic locations to drop bombs.

When J.R. Jayewardene’s 1977 UNP regime embarked on the accelerated Mahaweli development project, they gloated that electricity could even be provided to South India. Nevertheless, even after all power generation projects were implemented under the accelerated Mahaweli development project, the authorities had little or no choice but to impose power cuts during the dry seasons.

Apart from the normal system breakdown for maintenance purposes, the only occasion the country experienced a ‘power cut’ was when the LTTE light aircraft took off from Iranamadu.

Thanks to the tangible steps taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to eradicate terrorism and take Sri Lanka towards new economic horizons, these ghastly experiences are a thing of the past. While providing an inspirational leadership to the Security Forces to eradicate terrorism and vanquish the LTTE leadership, the President simultaneously embarked on several mega development projects that included Upper Kotmale, Norochcholai and the Kerawalapitiya power generation projects.

Even during the 1994-2005 period when the country experienced regular day and night power cuts, the then Government had to put on hold projects such as Upper Kotmale and Norochcholai due to pressure from various quarters.

However, President Rajapaksa, since his first election as the First Citizen on November 18, 2005, took several fearless and far-reaching steps to protect the broader interests of the country. Gone are the days when many prophets of gloom thought mega power generation projects such as Upper Kotmale and Norochcholai were mere daydreams.

Barely five years under the President’s leadership, these projects have not only become a reality but also several other development projects such as Magampura International Harbour, Mattala International Airport, Colombo-Kandy expressway, Southern Highway and irrigation projects such as Moragahakanda, Kalu Ganga, Uma Oya, Rambakan Oya and Kumbukkan Oya are also being successfully implemented.

The Upper Kotmale tunnel, 12.9km in length, was opened by the President last week. The country’s longest tunnel would carry water from the Kotmale reservoir to an underground power station under the Upper Kotmale hydro power project.

It will open a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s power generation, adding 150 MW to the national grid. The Rs. 44 billion project would be implemented fully by December next year. Besides the power generation to strengthen the national grid, the Upper Kotmale project would give a new lease of life to the residents in the area.

The Government, while waging a battle against the most ruthless terror outfit in the world, found the wherewithal needed for these mega development projects. The Government spent Rs. 10 billion while the Japanese Government provided Rs. 34 billion for the Upper Kotmale project.

President Rajapaksa who quite rightly understood Sri Lanka’s future challenges, implemented a mechanism to meet tomorrow’s power requirements.

Especially at a time the North and the East have returned to normalcy and the demand for power in the two provinces is increasing rapidly, the country needs a solution to meet the demand for power. The Upper Kotmale and Norochcholai projects would provide the right solution for those challenges and fulfil the country’s power needs.

The country consumed around 9,132 million units of electricity this year and it is estimated that it would increase to 9,554 million next year. The Upper Kotmale project alone would meet five percent of this requirement as it generates 409 GW hours of electricity annually.

Sri Lanka spends a colossal amount of money to generate thermal power and this could be reduced by Rs. 8 billion annually due to the contribution of the Upper Kotmale project.

When President Rajapaksa took over the reins of office in 2005, only 60 percent of the country’s population had electricity. At the time, the authorities were even unable to meet that demand and regular power cuts, both during the day and the night, were the order of the day.

Needless to say, the privations the people had to undergo in their day-to-day life, apart from the huge losses suffered in the industrial sector are today history. In contrast, over 80 percent of the country’s population has electricity - an increase of 20 percent during the past five years.

The Government is in a position to meet this huge demand for power as it has taken meaningful steps to strengthen the national grid. The Government’s aim is to provide electricity to each and every household in the country by 2012 and illuminate the entire nation.

Towards this end, the Norochcholai coal power plant would swing into action on November 17, coinciding with the day Mahinda Rajapaksa was first elected President exactly five years ago.

The first phase of the Norochcholai coal power project would add 300 MW to the national grid by January next year - 17 percent of the consumer requirement. The second phase of the project, which is now under way, would add a further 600 MW to the national grid. The government of China has provided US $ 455 million while the Government would fund the remaining Rs. 300 million for the project which was launched in July 2007.

More importantly, Sri Lanka consumes 58 percent of eco-friendly energy sources of the current energy requirements while the electricity sector uses 35 to 40 percent of eco-friendly energy sources. This is a landmark achievement compared to most countries.

On the other hand, the strengthening of the country’s power generation sector would no doubt woo more investors. In keeping with the Government’s mission to provide electricity for all, more investors and industrialists would set up ventures in Sri Lanka, rather than move to other countries in the backdrop of escalating electricity rates. With the addition of Norochcholai power to the national grid, the cost of electricity would drop significantly, benefiting both the households and the business sectors alike.

As the President said in Talawakele at the opening of the Upper Kotmale project tunnel on Thursday, the country is on the threshold of development due to the right decisions taken by the Government during the past five years.

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