Minister assures lower power tariffs

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Power and Energy Minister, Patali Champika Ranawaka has assured that a unit of electricity could be sold to the public at Rs. 8.04 from next year with the commissioning of the Norochcholai coal power plant. The Minister told the opening ceremony of the first phase of Sri Lanka’s first coal power plant at Norochcholai in the Puttalam district that, even at present the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is incurring a heavy loss of Rs. 4.50 on every unit which is sold at Rs. 13.00 to 4.3 million consumers in the country.

He said that the reduction in electricity costs could be granted due to the government opening several coal power plants in selected areas within the next two years. According to CEB sources, the first phase of the US $ 455 million Norochcholai coal power plant which was opened last week will add 300 MW to the national grid from January next year.

“We hope to add another 600 MW with the opening of the second and third phases, scheduled for early 2012.

The Minister said that power generation could be doubled with the commissioning of the next largest Sampur coal power plant in Trincomalee in the latter part of next year.