Two major development projects from November

by Shirajiv Sirimane

Two of the much awaited and long over due major development projects, the Magampura Port and Norochcholai power plant project will operate from November.

The one-time highly controversial Norochcholai power plant project is set to fire its first coal on November 17, while the Magampura harbour will be opened on November 18. The first stage of the Norochcholai project would generate 300 mega watts to the national grid and the investment for the total project would be Rs. 155 billion.

It would also be in a position to generate a unit of electricity at Rs. 4.75.

The delivery of the first shipment of 65,500 MT of coal at a cost of US$ 7 million from Indonesia is expected in the first week of November.

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has decided to shoulder the financial burden of financing the project as the CEB is now turning out to be a profit-making venture.

We will start reimbursing this amount to the Treasury from 2015, Minister of Power and Energy, Patali Champika Ranawaka said. The country’s second coal fired power plant will be constructed at Sampur in the Trincomalee district early next year.

Meanwhile several international shipping lines are now making inquiries to call over on the opening day of the Magampura Port.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be the chief guest for the event.