One unit of Norochcholai power plant breaks down

One 270 MegaWatt (MW) unit of the Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai has suffered a technical breakdown this morning (3), Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said. 

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) however, has assured that the unit will be reconnected to the national grid within five days and that it would be able to manage the prevailing power cuts without further extensions, he added. 

"CEB has informed of a technical breakdown in one of the 270MW power plants in Norochcholai. CEB commenced repair work and assured that they will reconnect within 5 days and manage the power cuts without further extensions to it by using thermal and hydro plants," Minister Wijesekara said on Twitter.

The country is currently undergoing scheduled power cuts lasting over three hours due to the shortage of diesel to power thermal power plants. Authorities are hopeful that the arrival of monsoonal rains expected this month will raise water levels of hydropower reservoirs sufficiently to allow for more hydropower generation. 

The Lakvijaya coal power plant has three units and has been plagued by regular technical breakdowns almost since its inception.