Cabinet endorses Indo-Lanka power line

COLOMBO: The Cabinet has granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Power and Energy W.D.J. Seneviratne, for the construction of an India-Sri Lanka electricity transmission interconnection for bilateral power exchange between the two countries, Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told the Cabinet news briefing yesterday.

The construction of an electricity transmission interconnection between India and Sri Lanka via Dhanushkody Palk Strait, and Thalaimannar connecting the CEB Power system of Sri Lanka and Southern Region Grid of India is a project acceptable to governments of both countries, and once completed, is expected to bring maximum economic benefits to both countries through the exchange of 1,000 Mw of power, the Minister said.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also granted approval to a memorandum submitted by Minister Seneviratne for the implementation of a rural electrification project with assistance from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The 10 year Horizon-Development Framework -2006-2016 envisages the expansion of coverage of electricity in the country up to 96% by 2016 of which 88% from grid connected electricity and 8% from off grid connected electricity with the aim of reducing total generation, transmission and distribution losses (of the CEB network ) up to 12% of net generation by 2015. The project envisages the electrification of 600 remote villages.