Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya(Pic by Saman Ranaweera)
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka is heading for a crippling power crisis due to an inordinate delay in implementing the Sampur coal-fired project as well as the failure on the part of the current administration to initiate any other power generation scheme, a forum organised by the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) at its auditorium was told yesterday.
One of Sri Lanka’s foremost experts in the power sector Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya warned of dire consequences unless the Indo-Lanka joint venture at Sampur was launched immediately.
Dr Siyambalapitiya asserted that Sri Lanka would experience severe power shortages in 2018 for want of tangible measures to improve the situation. According to him, action hadn’t been taken during the past two years in this regard.
Dr Siyambalapitiya was addressing issues in respect of two major joint Indo-Lanka ventures in the power sector with the focus on long delayed Sampur coal-fired project.
The specialist also dealt with the proposed HVDC Grid Interconnection to link the national grids of the two countries.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha were among the invitees at the forum ‘India-Sri Lanka relations in the 21st century."
Recollecting attempts made by various governments since 1987 to establish a power plant in Trincomalee, Dr. Siyambalapitiya said that the much touted Sampur project seemed to be on hold.
Responding to a query from the audience, Dr Siyambalapitiya emphasized that Sri Lanka couldn’t go for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant instead coal-fired after having reached vital stage of the Sampur project. Alleging that the current power purchasing arrangement between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) of India was adverse to Sri Lanka, Dr Siyambalapitiya urged the yahapalana government to go proceed with the project and renegotiate the power purchasing agreement.
Pointing out that Sampur project had been originally scheduled to commence operations during 2016, Dr Siyambalapitiya said that the project wouldn’t be able to meet even the second deadline in 2020 unless it got underway immediately.
Accusing the UNP-led UNF government of delaying Norochcholai coal-fired power plant (2002-2003) period, Dr Siyambalapitiya estimated that the national economy had experienced a staggering loss of USD 4 bn due to over a decade long wait.
The energy expert blamed successive governments for not being firm in their decisions in respect of Sri Lanka’s power sector requirements. The government couldn’t afford to deprive the country of large power generation projects to meet the growing demand, Dr Siyambalapitiya said, asserting that it was now too late to initiate a dialogue on whether to proceed with second coal-fired project or go for LNG.
Recently, the government announced that India had been requested to consider putting up LNG plant at Sampur.
The owners of costly diesel-power generation plants would be the ultimate beneficiaries of successive governments’ failure to adopt a tangible plan, Dr Siyambalapitiya said. He warned that contrary to public pronouncements the government was likely to make, finally the ordinary consumers would have to suffer. Dr Siyambalapitiya recalled the circumstances under which those operating diesel-fired power plants immensely benefited during the power crisis.
Commenting on the proposed project to link the national grids of the two countries, Dr Siyambalapitiya stressed that it was certainly not economically and financially viable. Explaining the extreme difficulties in implementing the costly project, Dr Siyambalapitiya asserted that it wasn’t likely to be implemented in accordance with presently available plans. However, Dr Siyambalapitiya discussed the possibility of scaling down the project currently estimated to cost as much as US 1 bn.
The expert questioned Sri Lanka’s financial strength to implement such a project in light of the current situation.
Dr Siyambalapitiya strongly advised the government to immediately initiate talks with India to renegotiate agreement on Sampur. He called for a cohesive action plan to meet Sri Lanka’s demand for energy.
Island
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka is heading for a crippling power crisis due to an inordinate delay in implementing the Sampur coal-fired project as well as the failure on the part of the current administration to initiate any other power generation scheme, a forum organised by the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) at its auditorium was told yesterday.
One of Sri Lanka’s foremost experts in the power sector Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya warned of dire consequences unless the Indo-Lanka joint venture at Sampur was launched immediately.
Dr Siyambalapitiya asserted that Sri Lanka would experience severe power shortages in 2018 for want of tangible measures to improve the situation. According to him, action hadn’t been taken during the past two years in this regard.
Dr Siyambalapitiya was addressing issues in respect of two major joint Indo-Lanka ventures in the power sector with the focus on long delayed Sampur coal-fired project.
The specialist also dealt with the proposed HVDC Grid Interconnection to link the national grids of the two countries.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha were among the invitees at the forum ‘India-Sri Lanka relations in the 21st century."
Recollecting attempts made by various governments since 1987 to establish a power plant in Trincomalee, Dr. Siyambalapitiya said that the much touted Sampur project seemed to be on hold.
Responding to a query from the audience, Dr Siyambalapitiya emphasized that Sri Lanka couldn’t go for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant instead coal-fired after having reached vital stage of the Sampur project. Alleging that the current power purchasing arrangement between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) of India was adverse to Sri Lanka, Dr Siyambalapitiya urged the yahapalana government to go proceed with the project and renegotiate the power purchasing agreement.
Pointing out that Sampur project had been originally scheduled to commence operations during 2016, Dr Siyambalapitiya said that the project wouldn’t be able to meet even the second deadline in 2020 unless it got underway immediately.
Accusing the UNP-led UNF government of delaying Norochcholai coal-fired power plant (2002-2003) period, Dr Siyambalapitiya estimated that the national economy had experienced a staggering loss of USD 4 bn due to over a decade long wait.
The energy expert blamed successive governments for not being firm in their decisions in respect of Sri Lanka’s power sector requirements. The government couldn’t afford to deprive the country of large power generation projects to meet the growing demand, Dr Siyambalapitiya said, asserting that it was now too late to initiate a dialogue on whether to proceed with second coal-fired project or go for LNG.
Recently, the government announced that India had been requested to consider putting up LNG plant at Sampur.
The owners of costly diesel-power generation plants would be the ultimate beneficiaries of successive governments’ failure to adopt a tangible plan, Dr Siyambalapitiya said. He warned that contrary to public pronouncements the government was likely to make, finally the ordinary consumers would have to suffer. Dr Siyambalapitiya recalled the circumstances under which those operating diesel-fired power plants immensely benefited during the power crisis.
Commenting on the proposed project to link the national grids of the two countries, Dr Siyambalapitiya stressed that it was certainly not economically and financially viable. Explaining the extreme difficulties in implementing the costly project, Dr Siyambalapitiya asserted that it wasn’t likely to be implemented in accordance with presently available plans. However, Dr Siyambalapitiya discussed the possibility of scaling down the project currently estimated to cost as much as US 1 bn.
The expert questioned Sri Lanka’s financial strength to implement such a project in light of the current situation.
Dr Siyambalapitiya strongly advised the government to immediately initiate talks with India to renegotiate agreement on Sampur. He called for a cohesive action plan to meet Sri Lanka’s demand for energy.
Island
