Sri Lanka's Norochcholai coal power plant has failed again for the third time in a period of two months. The authorities of the coal power plant are unable to say when the plant will resume operations.

The power supplier, Ceylon Electricity Board incurs heavy losses purchasing power from private sector at higher rates to meet the demand when Norochcholai coal plant fails.

Power and Energy Minister Mr Patali Champika Ranawaka has said that every non operational day has cost the CEB INR 80 million.

A Technical Engineering Union official of CEB, Senior Engineering Assistant URA Senarathna alleges that the coal power plant frequently fails due to disruptive activities of the Chinese company that wants a long term maintenance contract of the power plant.

He said that around 100 employees sent to China for training to operate the plant have not been properly trained.

The USD 450 million coal power plant that adds 300 megawatts to the national energy grid commenced operations in March 2011. The plant has not been in operation for 35 days last year due to the failures.

(Sourced from www.colombopage.com)