Low-quality coal fuels fears of environmental crisis; Lakvijaya ill-equipped to cope

News

By Namini Wijedasa

Burning the low-quality coal recently procured for the Lakvijaya coal power plant via a tender that is now the subject of corruption allegations will cause a sharp rise in the quantity of fly ash generated, thereby posing a severe threat to the environment, experts warned.

Sample tests conducted by the Lakvijaya internal laboratory on the first consignment of 60,000 MT of South African coal—bought through India’s Trident Chemphar Ltd—showed that the ash content was 21 per cent by weight. According to parameters set by Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd, a coal consignment is liable for rejection if the ash content is above 16 per cent. The standard (acceptable) value is 11 per cent.

Read more in yesterday's Sunday Times edition here