Unit 3 of Lakvijaya power plant reconnected to national grid

Unit 3 of the Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai was reactivated last evening (11) and has now been reconnected to the national grid, generating 300 MegaWatts (MW) of power, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said. 

Unit 3 had been shut down and taken off the national grid in July for essential maintenance. This maintenance work has now been completed and accordingly, Unit 3 was reactivated and reconnected to the national grid last evening, The CEB's Media Spokesman and Deputy General Manager (Business & Operational Strategy) Noel Priyantha said. 

The plant's Unit 2 generator too is currently shut down for essential maintenance work, which is continuing. 

However, the plant's Unit 1, which had been supplying electricity to the national grid, abruptly shut down on December 9 due to the island-wide power breakdown that was experienced. Accordingly, the entire Lakvijaya power plant had been off the national grid from December 9 until Unit 3 was reconnected last evening.

Water levels in the hydropower reservoirs are currently at sufficient levels due to prevailing heavy rains, Mr Priyantha said. Accordingly, about 60% of the total daily power generation is currently from hydropower, he added. This, along with wind and other energy sources and the 300MW from Lakvijaya plant are sufficient to meet the country's present electricity requirement, the CEB spokesman stressed. 

By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe