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Power crisis: Delay in 120 MW Uma Oya Plant

02 Apr 2022

  • Issues triggered by forex crisis
  • Project facing numerous obstacles
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The commissioning of the much-delayed 120 MW Uma Oya Power Plant will see further delays due to issues triggered by the existing foreign exchange crisis, The Sunday Morning learns. The power plant was earlier scheduled to be commissioned in 2021 but the construction of the project was delayed due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. However, it was later scheduled to be commissioned this year. According to the Long Term Energy Generation Plan of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the Uma Oya hydropower plant is to be operated as a part of the Uma Oya multipurpose hydropower project, which will see two small reservoirs being built close to Welimada from which water will be diverted through a tunnel to the underground power plant located at Randeniya, near Wellawaya. This power plant is expected to generate 290 GWh of annual energy and the plant was to be operational in 2021. This project is being implemented by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment. A senior CEB official who wished to remain anonymous told The Sunday Morning that the entire Uma Oya Project had been facing numerous obstacles during the past several years since the construction work commenced. “It is mainly not handled by the CEB. It is handled by the Irrigation Department. There are no issues with regard to the power plant per se, but there are several commercial issues,” the official said, adding that the dollar shortage and exchange rate fluctuations were affecting the project’s completion. However, CEB Spokesman Additional General Manager Andrew Navamani said there wasn’t an exact date for the commissioning of the Uma Oya Plant, while the 35 MW Broadlands Hydropower Plant would be commissioned soon. When asked if the foreign exchange crisis had delayed the commissioning of Uma Oya, Navamani stressed that the entire country had been hit by a shortage of foreign exchange. However, he did not elaborate on specific reasons for the delay.    


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