MTD Walkers to resume operations of subsidiary Northern Power Company

Friday, 18 September 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Outside the power plant (from left): Electrical Engineer Joe Jonathan, Plant Manager Selvaraja Rajaguru, CEO Lalith De Silva, Group Director Dr. Arosha Fernando, Senior General Manager Lakmal Gunaratne, Head of HR Derrick Perera, Head of Legal Sanchala Arangalage of MTD Walkers

MTD Walkers PLC is to resume operations of subsidiary Northern Power Company shortly, its Group Director Dr. Arosha Fernando said in a statement.

The Northern Power Company’s 36MW plant in Jaffna set up with an investment of Rs. 4.5 billion was closed after an order was issued by the Mallakam Magistrate in January 2015 claiming it caused ground water contamination in Jaffna. “However, since it was well proven that the Northern Power Plant is in no way responsible for the regrettable water contamination issue, in April last year Supreme Court has given a ruling to reopen the Northern Power Plant and to start its operation,” Dr. Fernando said in the statement.

“We will be restarting the operation of Northern Power Plant shortly and we at MTD Walkers PLC are always committed towards working in the interest of all stakeholders while maintaining the highest standards of corporate ethics and good governance,” he said after a recent inspection visit made to the Northern Power Plant in Jaffna along with a number of high powered executives from MTD Walkers PLC.

The Northern Power Station is a 36 MW fuel-oil burning power station built in Chunnakam, Jaffna. The power station was built after the Northern Power Company, won a Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) tender to urgently set up a power station in Jaffna.

Northern Power Company commenced the construction work in 2007 during the height of the civil conflict when no company or individual was willing to even venture into the north by taking all risks to provide much needed power to the people of Jaffna. Generation commenced in May 2009 at end of the war, and a larger population which had suffered severe hardships for over 15 years had electricity in their homes thanks to our venture, Dr. Fernando said.

Dedicated to serve Jaffna, the company at that time has contributed the major amount of power as there was no other source and because Jaffna was not connected to the national grid until 2012.

“The company went through many hardships especially with no road transport facility available and us having to transport all material and personnel by air or sea at a very high cost. But we did it because serving people is MTD Walkers’s motto and we have invested over Rs. 4.5 billion,” Dr. Fernando added.