The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has granted approval for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to procure 100MW of Electricity Generation Capacity for 06 months on short term basis.

The approval of PUCSL has been granted to the transmission licensee under section 43(4)(c)(ii) of Sri Lanka Electricity Act No.20 of 2009 (as amended) to proceed with the procurement process for adding a generation capacity of 100MW in the southern area on short term basis for period of 6 months from 18th August 2023 subjected to the following conditions.

• The adding generation capacity shall operate on merit order basis and transmission licensee shall demonstrate that the power plants operated on merit order through an independent dispatch audit at the end of Power Purchase Agreement period.
• The Kotmale – New Polpitiya 220kV line shall be energized before 31st August 2024.
• The procurement of above supplementary power shall be done on the least cost basis.

The Cabinet of Ministers had declared an emergency situation pertaining to the decision to release of water from the Samanalawewa Power Plant for irrigation purposes of downstream cultivations and to procure 100MW of supplementary power by 15th August 2023, for a period of 4 – 6 months to avoid planned power shedding at the Cabinet meeting held on August 07.

The release of water for agricultural purposes from Samanalawewa has begun on August 08.

Meanwhile according to information of the Meteorological Department, significant rainfall can be expected only from mid-October 2023.