Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2020-01-22

The present situation in the electricity industry of Sri Lanka and the proposed measures to avert a future power shortage

- Due to the delay of the planned power plant projects at present, the Ceylon Electricity Board has to face a serious challenge to meet the electricity demand of the country. As such, with a view to ensuring the Sri Lanka's power security and self-sufficiency and taking into consideration of the proposals made by the Minister of Power & Energy to implement the following measures expeditiously, was approved by the Cabinet.
* construction of a power plant unit with a capacity of 300 x 2 MW as an extension to the Coal Power Plant at Norochcholai.
* establishment of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant in the Kerawalapitiya area with a capacity of 300 MW as a joint enterprise between the Ceylon Electricity Board and India/Japan.
* accelerating the construction activities of the Liquefied Natural Gas plant with a capacity of 300 MW proposed to be constructed in the Kerawalapitiya area under the Asian Development Bank Funds.
* accelerating the construction activities of the hydro-power plants and the renewable energy projects being constructed by the Ceylon Electricity Board.
* implementation of the relevant projects expeditiously with the sum of US$ 100 agreed to be provided by the Government of India for generating solar power electricity generation.