Kerawalapitiya Power Plant to be commissioned tomorrow

Wasantha Ramanayake and Shirely Wijesinghe

COLOMBO: The Kerawalapitiya Combine Cycle Power Plant, "Yugadanavi" constructed at a cost of U$ 300 million will be officially commissioned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa tomorrow.

Timely construction of the power plant avoided a certain power cut due to recent LTTE air strikes against the Kelani - Tissa Power Plant. Because of that the plant had to commence its operations before

the official commissioning. Addressing the media, the Chief Executive Officer the Yugadanavi U.D. Jayawardane said the Kerawalapitiya Power Plant was the greatest achievement undertaking of wholly local engineers since the Parakrama Samudraya.

Planning, designing and procurement related to the entire project had been wholly done by local engineers, Jayawardane said.

Dhammika Nanayakkara, Project Engineer of "Yugadanavi" said the project had been designed to minimize the negative affects of the environment.

Emission of sulphur to the atmosphere has been controlled up to 2 per cent after considering impact of environmental pollution. The hight of the stack had to be minimised in order to confirm to aviation regulations. Multi-fuel operational system is the most characteristic feature for the plant, he added.

The power plant will eventually add 300 MWs to the National Grid. Supply of 200MWs has already been added to the National Grid in the first phase of the project. 100MWs will be added next year, using steam energy at the second phase.

The construction of the plant has been expedited with the assistance of local consultants.

In terms of a Japanese feasibility study, the heavy equipment will be transported through the proposed accesses to be built. But our Engineers were able to transport these by sea, cutting excess time and saving money.