Small hydro power industry connects record 100 MW to national grid

The Grid Connected Small Power Developers Association (GCSPDA) said this week that a total capacity of 100 MW has been connected to the national grid noting that 3.5% of the country’s electricity requirements is now supplied from this indigenous industry.

Picture shows from left P.B. Jayatissa Committee Member - GCSPDA, Tissa Illeperuma Committee Member - GCSPDA, Dr. Nishantha Nanayakkara President, Grid Connected Small Power Developers Association (GCSPDA), Riyaz Sangani Committee Member - GCSPDA, Dr. Suren Batagoda Director, Ministry of Environment, and Arjuna Gunaratne Treasurer - GCSPDA.

This it said, results in a saving of a substantial Rs 3,000 million each year from the country’s foreign exchange bill.

“100 MW yield over 350 million units of electricity per annum. Each unit of this indigenous energy saves the country from importing increasingly expensive oil required to power thermal plants. Today a unit of electricity generated by small hydro power plants costs the CEB Rs. 6.05. This is one of the few avenues of profit for the CEB, which is compelled to pay over Rs. 15.00 to purchase diesel based thermal energy,” Dr. Nishantha Nanayakkara, President of GCSPDA, said at a press conference.

Small hydro power projects are run-of-the-river type that release water back into the stream, after power generation. This renewable source of energy is thus one of the most environmentally friendly technologies in the world. Significant too is the contribution made by the small hydro power industry towards regional development in line with the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

The GCSPDA estimates the total potential of the small hydro power industry at 400 MW. Developers are confident that this potential can be realized before 2010 with the necessary encouragement from the government. 400 MW of small hydro power can provide renewable electricity to over 1.5 million rural households and save the country well over US$ 100 million per annum.