Dendro power plants in the offing

by Mohammed Naalir

Setting up environment-friendly dendro power plants would help ease the increasing demand for power in the country to a considerable level, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Minister Ranawaka was the chief guest at the signing of the agreement between Mega Ten Bioenergy (Pvt) Ltd and Shenzhen Full Dimension Sustainable Energy Company Ltd of China to set up a 10 MW dendro power plant at Kumbukana in the Monaragala district.

Addressing the event held in Colombo, he said special attention will be paid towards Vanni, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Ampara, Batticaloa and Monaragala districts when setting up biomass power plants.

The Minister said the proposed Mega Ten power project would help alleviate poverty and integrate renewable energy and rural economy.

He said due to continuous consumption, charcoal, diesel and gas resources would end one day. They are also major threats to our biodiversity.

The Minister said his Ministry aims to generate 30 MW of electricity through dendro power by 2015.

Nearly 6,000 farmer families will benefit through this project. Gliricidia farmers in these areas can earn Rs. 7.50 per kilo of Gliricidia wood.

He said measures are under way to fulfil all power needs of the country by 2012. Projects of this nature will help achieve this goal.

The foundation stone for the proposed power plant will be laid next year during the Deyata Kirula exhibition.

The cost of the proposed power plant is 15.23 million US dollars. Seventy percent of the project is funded by China while 30 percent of the funds will come from Sri Lanka.

According to the Minister, a biogas power plant with the capacity of generating 1.5 MW of electricity is being set up at Thirappane, Anuradhapura.