• Iranian Prez Dr. Raisi pledges knowledge, expertise, & experience sharing 
• 5 MOUs signed, Prez Ranil acknowledges ‘invaluable’ tech. support  

Iran stands ready to share its knowledge, expertise, and experience with Sri Lanka for the progress and development of the country, including partnerships in large-scale projects, said Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi.

The Iranian Head of State made these remarks after participating in the ceremony to inaugurate the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) yesterday (24).

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday expressed gratitude to Iran for their technical support, emphasising that without Iran’s assistance, Sri Lanka could not have diverted the Uma Oya tributaries into the Kirindi Oya. 

President Wickremesinghe and Dr. Raisi jointly inaugurated the UOMDP.

Coinciding with Dr. Raisi’s visit, Sri Lanka and Iran signed five memorandums of understanding (MOUs) yesterday.

Dr. Raisi’s visit came after a special invitation extended by President Wickremesinghe.

The UOMDP aims to alleviate water scarcity in the South-Eastern dry region of the country by redirecting an annual average of 145 million cubic metres (MCM) of excess water from the Uma Oya basin to the Kirindi Oya basin. Owing to this project, approximately 4,500 hectares (ha) of new land and 1,500 ha of existing agricultural land (6,000 ha/15,000 acres of farmland) in the Monaragala District will receive irrigation water, the Government said in an earlier statement. Moreover, the areas of Badulla, Monaragala, and Hambantota will benefit from 39 MCM of water for drinking and industrial purposes, while generating and adding 290 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electrical energy annually to the national grid. Additionally, the UOMDP has effectively addressed the challenge of supplying water for both domestic and industrial purposes in the Bandarawela and Wellawaya regions. 

The project encompasses the construction of two Reservoirs at Puhulpola and Dyraaba, a conveyance tunnel (link tunnel) spanning 3.98 kilometres (km) to connect the two Reservoirs, a 15.2 km long headrace tunnel (HRT), a surge shaft, a pressure shaft, an underground powerhouse, a switchyard, a transmission line, a tailrace tunnel, and related infrastructure.

Pursuant to a MOU executed between Sri Lanka and Iran on 27 November, 2007, the Cabinet of Ministers had approved the execution of the contract agreement between the Executing Agency, the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Management of Sri Lanka and the Farab Energy and Water Projects (Farab Company) of Iran dated 28 April 2008, to implement the UOMDP by the Farab Company, as an engineering, procurement and construction contract. 

The total contract sums amount to $ 514 million and the contract became effective on 15 March 2010. Initially, the Export Development Bank of Iran funded $ 50 million until 2013. However, due to international sanctions on Iran, they were unable to continue providing funds for the project. Therefore, the Sri Lankan Government decided to proceed with the project using Government funds while continuing with the same contractor, the Farab Company.

When the UOMDP commenced on 15 March 2010, its scheduled completion date was 15 March 2015. However, due to various factors such as technical issues, particularly unexpected water ingress into the HRT, social impacts, financial challenges, and disruptions caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic during the construction period, the completion date had been extended to 31 March of this year. 

The UOMDP involved significant engineering challenges, particularly due to the 700-metre difference in height between Bandarawela and Wellawaya. Adjusting the tunnel route at such a height was a complex task. Additionally, the construction of a deep pressure shaft to channel water onto turbines is an unprecedented feat. The project completed its commissioning phase in February and March 2024, successfully synchronising Units One and Two with the national grid. It then proceeded to complete its trial operations on 1 April this year.

Additionally, the overall duration of the project, including the defect and liability period, has been extended to 31 March of next year (2025). 

Following the completion of the UOMDP, the project components will be transferred to the operating authorities, namely the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Mahaweli Authority. This transition will occur after the Ministry of Irrigation takes over the project components from the contractor.

Once electricity is generated, the water is directed through a tunnel to the Alikota Ara Reservoir, built across a tributary of the Kirindi Oya. From there, it is further diverted to the Handapanagala Reservoir, which has been expanded threefold as part of the project. Additionally, water is channelled to the new Kuda Oya Reservoir, currently under construction on the right bank. These Reservoirs facilitate irrigation in areas such as Wellawaya, Thanamalvila, and Balaharutha in the Monaragala District.

An irrigation system spanning over 60 metres in length is currently being constructed. It is anticipated that this system will supply irrigation water to 1,500 ha of already cultivated land and an additional 4,500 ha of newly developed land, supporting agricultural activities in both the Yala and Maha seasons.

The Uma Oya Downstream Development Project, facilitated directly by the Irrigation Department, is poised to alleviate the longstanding water scarcity issues in the Kirindi Oya Basin. Under the guidance of the Government, officials have been directed to execute an integrated agricultural development initiative leveraging modern technology to optimise water utilisation.