By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has successfully acquired the 163 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant which was operated by Sojitz Kelanitissa (Pvt) Limited on 28th March 2023.
The acquiring process was initiated in the latter part of the year 2022, in accordance with the terms and condition of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
The untiring efforts of the CEB team lead by General Manager, CEB; Eng. Rohan Seneviratne has improved CEB’s own power plant capacity by 163 MW, the CEB’s Media Unit said.
Under the GOSL policy framework, CEB signed the PPA with Sojitz Kelanitissa (Pvt) Limited in June, 2000 as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) on BOOT basis. The contract period was for 20 years and the power plant is located in Colombo Kelanitissa Power Plant complex.
CEB negotiations were very hard especially due to economic constraints, obstacles, challenges, and many issues including legal aspects; but CEB has managed to overcome those difficulties and finally owned a 163 MW power plant.
The CEB has foreseen the future power requirements of the country and facilitated the acquisition process in order to increase its power generation capacity.
The CEB owned 163 MW facility is compatible with LNG with some minor modifications and hence enables to reduce the current cost of generation.
In order to meet the ever-growing power demand as a result of the rapid socio-economic development of the country, the Sri Lanka Government decided to build a 165 MW Combined Cycle Power plant on the vacant land adjoining the existing Kelanitissa Power Station in 2000.
The combined cycle power plant was built at a total cost of Rs.10.616 Million of which Rs.9, 200 Million (JY 13,481 Million) was obtained from the Government of Japan, though Japan Banking International Corporation (JBIC)as a soft loan while the remainder was borne by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
The Engineering Consultancy Services were provided by Lahmeyer International of Germany and Chuo Kaihatsu Corporation of Japan, two highly renowned engineering consultancy firms.
The CEB engineers worked as counterparts to the consultants in fulfilling the engineering Consultancy aspect of the project. The turnkey project contract was awarded to a consortium of Marubeni Corporation of Japan and Alstom power Centralles of France.
Today we achieve the successful completion of the Kelanitissa Combine Cycle Power Project with state-of-the-art technology as a result of diligent efforts of many dedicated individuals and organizations
This plant has the flexibility of operating on naphtha fuel which is a by-product of the petroleum refinery, and on Diesel oil as an alternative fuel.
The commissioning of this low operating cost thermal power plant will further help to ease the power situation in the imbalance of hydro to thermal power generation.
This power plant will enhance the much-needed electricity, which is a key factor of economic development in the country.
The Kelanitissa combined cycle power plant consists of a 110 MW Gas Turbine and a 55 Mw steam Turbine combined to operate simultaneously to generate 165 MW of electricity.
