Construction of 150 MW hydro electric power plant gets under way in Sri Lanka

The project is being funded by the Japanese Japan Bank for International Cooperation or JBIC. The Japanese are well placed to fund such a project having gained previous experience in such ventures with both variety in scale and location. Sri Lanka has received development assistance from Japan for over 50 years and it should be no surprise that the power sector which is immensely important in any economy also benefit from this. The government of Japan also already in the past helped to develop hydro electric projects in Sri Lanka including the Samanalawewa and Kukule Ganga projects.

The dam itself will be located on the Kotmale Oya at Thalawakele with a 12.5 km tunnel feeding water to an underground power generation unit at Niyamgamdara. Upper Kotmale was already conceived with a master plan in 1968. Careful planning has gone to insuring that environment and structural concerns such as the potential impact on local residents are considered in the project location decision process.

It is expected that the project will have radical implications for the socio economic situation of the region and that skilled construction labor and other jobs will be created as a result of the construction of the dam. After the completion of the project local facilities used to house and provide for the labor force which will need to come to the area will be turned over to the local residents. In addition there will be much needed improvements undertaken to upgrade the infrastructure in the area including water supply, roads, electricity, and telecommunications.

For additional information:

http://www.ukhp.lk/