Rural electrification projects to be vested in the public

Rural electrification projects numbering 670 that are nearing completion throughout the country would be vested in the public on the instructions of Minister of Power and Energy Pavithra Wanniarachchi in celebration of the birthday and the anniversary of the assumption of office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Government has invested Rs. 3,620 million on these electrification projects.

Accordingly, 89 rural electrification projects in the Northern Province, 46 projects in the Western Province, 96 projects in the Eastern Province, 63 in the Uva Province, 99 in the Southern Province, 153 electrification projects in the Central Province and 124 projects in the Sabaragamuwa Province will be vested in the people.

With the completion of these rural electrification projects, another 10,050 households will receive electricity connections across the country through the national grid. On the instructions of President Rajapaksa, a policy decision has been taken to provide electricity to the whole country by the end of 2014. Accordingly, a survey of all households including the rural and most remote areas has commenced to ascertain the number of households still without electricity. Currently, there are 5,591,292 electricity consumers in the country while 31.87 GWH of power is required daily to meet the demand of these electricity consumers. Moreover, to meet the increasing demand in electricity with the construction of new commercial and residential buildings, around 300 MW of power is required to be added to the national grid.

Accordingly, another 300 MW of power will be added to the national grid with the completion of the second stage of the Norochcholai power plant by December and a further 300 MW with the completion of the third stage by next year. With the signing of agreements for the completion of the Sampur coal power plant, a further 500 MW of power will be added to the national grid, enabling the country to face its power requirements successfully.

Meanwhile, the country's attention has also been focused on natural gas power generation as well to meet the growing power requirements of the future.