India-Lanka to sign:

Sampur coal power plant agreement

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The construction work of the Sri Lanka-India joint venture coal power plant which costs US dollars 500 million will commence in Sampur on November 10.

The power purchase agreement in context of the joint venture will be signed in Colombo at the end of this month. Chairman, Ceylon Electricity Board E.A.S.K. Edirisinghe will sign the agreement on behalf of Sri Lankan Government, while a senior official, attached to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India will sign the agreement on behalf of NTPC.

Power and Energy Ministry Senior official Harsha Abeyakoon told the Sunday Observer that 500 MVs will be added to the national grid from the first phase of the project, while another 500 MVs will be added from the second phase.

He said due to various reasons the construction work of this joint coal power project which was approved by the Cabinet two years ago was delayed.

"However, during that period the construction work of two coal power projects including the Norochcholai coal power plant was commenced and the Government is expected to generate over 1200 MVs from these power plants," he added.