Solar power plant for Hambantota

A Solar Power station will be set up at Baruthankanda, Hambantota by the Ministry of Power and Energy to produce 737 Kw of energy. This would be Sri Lanka's biggest solar power generation plant.

The first stage would be opened next August and the land has already been allocated. Construction is expected to commence in January.

Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka said that the investment for this project would be Rs. 1.7 billion. It would be partly funded by Japan (Rs. 1.2 billion) Korea (Rs. 513 million) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (Rs. 153 million).

With the commissioning of this project, Sri Lanka would be able to save 429,000 litres of diesel used for power generation and prevent 963 tons of carbon dioxide from being released to the environment.

The Ministry also plans to install solar-powered street lights in selected areas. -SS