PUCSL warns of an impending hydro power shortage

Sri Lanka’s Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) has warned the public of an impending hydro power shortage during the first quarter of next year as the hydro power generation will have to be kept low, to ensure the availability of hydro reservoirs until end of April.
Based on past trends, the country cannot expect an adequate rainfall to fill hydro power reservoirs, PUCSL stated in its report on power supply situation in Sri Lanka for December 2016 to March 2017, adding that daily major hydro power generation level is required to be kept below about 6 GWh/day in average.
However the PUCSL noted that the loss of thermal generation capacity in the system can withstand without requiring power cuts will be 560 MW in January. Due to demand growth, this will reduce to 500 MW in February and 350 MW in March next year.
The unit 1 of coal power plant will have to resume the power generation from January1 next year the report said adding that it is also required to ensure the continuous fuel availability for oil fired power plants.
The PUCSL report emphasised the need of sufficient imports of low sulphur furnace oil and availability of fuel transportation to the West Coast power plant as well as continuous furnace oil supply from Sapugaskanda Refinery.
Sufficient production/imports of Naphtha and Diesel/Auto Diesel and availability of fuel transportation to power plants in Kalanithissa were the other essential requirements .PUCSL said. 
Due to a reduction in furnace oil production from the Sapugaskanda refinery, daily full load requirement for Asia Power, Sapugaskanda, ACE Power Embilipitiya, Uthuru Janani and Barge power plants, in total cannot be fully met. 
Hence, depending on the suitability of imported furnace oil, daily about 50 MW – 80 MW of furnace oil generation will be at risk, PUCSL report revealed. (Bandula)