Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-01-25

Conducting the Feasibility Study to implement the first Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant in Sri Lanka

- The intermittent nature and non-firmness of generation of power through certain renewable energy resources make it technically challenging to add more such energy plants into the main electricity grid. In order to face this situation and store excess generated capacity, it has been identified the necessity of establishing the “Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant”. Under the Long Term Generation Plan for the period of 2018 – 2037, it has been identified to operate a Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant in 03 phases from the year 2025 onwards. According to a study conducted in association with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Aranayake area in the Ma oya Valley and Wewathenna area in Kandy, have been recognized as suitable for the construction of the proposed power plant. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) intends to identify the most suitable place out of those two locations and conduct a comprehensive feasibility study in this regard. There is a potential of securing the funds required for the purpose, out of the balance funds of the “Green Power Development and Energy Efficiency Improvement Investment Project” under the Asian Development Bank. As such, the proposal made by the Minister of Power, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on the said project, was approved by the Cabinet.