A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday (20) to develop infrastructure for the storage, regasification and supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the Sobadhanavi Combined Cycle Power Plant at Kerawalapitiya.

The agreement was signed between Sri Lanka’s LTL Holdings Private Limited and India’s Petronet LNG Limited, under the patronage of the Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera and the Deputy High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Dr. Satyanjal Pandey.

The 350 megawatts (MW) LNG based Combined Cycle Power Plant ‘Sobhadhanavi’ is a power project currently underway and once commissioned, it would be the largest independent power producer (IPP) in the country and the first power plant to operate with LNG, paving the way for the country to transition to greener forms of power generation from conventional thermal power.

Lakdhanavi Limited successfully completed the first phase of the heavy equipment transportation in February of last year (2023), with the arrival of the gas turbine, the gas turbine generator, and the main transformer at the project site. The first phase of the Sobadhanavi Power Plant Project is expected to generate and contribute 220 MW to the National Grid this year. The second phase of the project will add a further 130 MW, where the plant will irradiate Sri Lanka with a total capacity of 350 MW by next year (2025).