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No power cuts, but outages will hit you
World Trade Centre: These people found themselves 'walking the escalators' as they stopped functioning during a sudden power cut. The generator power was only sufficient for the lifts to work . Pix by Anuradha Bandara
Power outages continue to be reported from various parts of the country, despite heavy rains in catchment areas in recent weeks and the Government’s claim that the power situation has come back to normal.
The Government’s response to the public outcry over regular power cuts or outages is to seek a report from the power-sector authorities. In the latest such move that followed reports of power cuts in some parts of the country during the National New Year period, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the authorities to submit a report. This was because the Government had promised to provide uninterrupted power supply during Avurudu days.
However, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya addressing a news conference this week denied these reports of the Avurudu period power cuts.
The Minister said a report had been sent to the Prime Minister regarding the matter.
When the Sunday Times spoke to Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) President Athula Wanniarachchi, he admitted power outages took place from time to time in certain areas, but refuted the claims that unannounced power cuts were being enforced.
The union leader said power outages or failures could happen due to trees or branches falling on power lines in stormy conditions or due to the rains’ impact on the system after a lengthy dry spell.
“When the rains come after a long dry spell, unless it is heavy rain, there is a tendency for breakdowns as water tends to react with the dust on cables and affect electrical insulation,” he explained.
Powerless: Trading floor display panels at the Colombo Stock Exchange go blank during a power outage
Mr. Wanniarachchi said the situation in Colombo was somewhat different, with more breakdowns being reported in recent weeks. In one such breakdown due to a technical fault on Tuesday, several city areas, including Kollupitiya, Kompannaveediya and Fort were without power for about two hours.
These breakdowns underscore the need to upgrade Colombo’s oil insulated power cable system which was more than 40 years old.
Mr. Wanniarachchi revealed that the Government was investing Rs. 20 billion from a loan obtained from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency to improve the underground cable network in Colombo. “Once these upgrades are completed in about two years, Colombo’s electricity supply should be almost perfect,”he said.
As part of these upgrade plans, a large grid substation near the Colombo Port City and two others near the Nawaloka Hospital and the site where the Army headquarters was would be built, he said.
Until this project is completed, it is expected that such power outages in the city will occur from time to time, given the fragility of the cable network.
| Urgent measures underway to overcome looming power crisis in 2018 With the country experiencing inter-monsoonal rains now ahead of the Southwest monsoon next month, officials in the energy sector say the worst of the current power crisis may be now over, but much needs to be done to prepare the energy sector to meet a looming power crisis in 2018. Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) President Athula Wanniarachchi said the current rains had increased the hydro-power capacity while the drop in the temperature had led to a decrease in power consumption. “We had our worst period before the National New Year — from the third week of March to the second week of April. While the rains were still insufficient to completely overcome the power crisis, an encouraging sign was that water levels in the reservoirs were satisfactory for hydro-power generation,” he said. The union leader expressed hope that with the Southwest monsoon also expected late next month, the situation would not be as precarious as it was two weeks ago. The Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, meanwhile, is pushing ahead with an “action plan” including short- and long-term measures to ensure uninterrupted power and to achieve the 100 percent electrification target. The urgency of the matter was highlighted at a media briefing addressed by Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera and senior officials. Deputy Minister Perera said the country was heading for a power supply crisis in 2018. “According to the CEB’s long-term generation plan, the Sampur coal power plant was to be completed by 2017. But, this will not happen due to various reasons. That leaves us with a deficit of 500 Megawatts. Given the continued growth of the country’s industrial sector and an increase in electricity consumption by the middle class, the demand for electricity is rapidly rising. This would ultimately lead to a power crisis by 2018,” he warned. The deputy minister said coal was not the solution to overcome the looming crisis as it was impossible to build a coal power plant in two years. “We have primarily identified renewable energy sources as being the best possible solution to avert this crisis,” he said, adding that their plan was to add an estimated 1000MW to the national grid through renewable energy sources by 2018. To meet this target, the Government plans to set up three 100MW solar power plants in the Southern and Eastern provinces. The deputy minister said tenders would be called within three months and the plants commissioned within two years. Moves are also underway to buy solar electricity from households under a net accounting scheme, where the public will be paid for extra solar electricity they generate for the national grid. Attention has also been drawn towards building Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plants. The first of these plants, with a capacity of 300MW each, is due to be built in Kerawalapitiya and a second plant in the Southern Province, according to the action plan. Accordingly, 600MW would be added to the National Grid through LNG power plants and 400MW through solar power. In terms of the action plan, there are plans to generate electricity through wind power and biomass sources. The Cabinet, meanwhile, has approved a proposal to appoint a ‘Presidential Task Force on Demand Side Management’ to promote energy conservation and efficient usage. This task force will begin work within a month. The Government hopes to conserve 400MW through demand side management. These measures are to be implemented under six categories: Electricity Transmission, Electricity Generation Development, Renewable Energy Development, Electricity Transmission System Development, Restructuring and Management of the CEB and Promoting Electricity Conservation and Efficient Usage. |