Project to strengthen Norocholai power plant’s backup systems gets Cabinet nod

Thursday, 28 August 2025 03:47 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath

Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday said the Cabinet of Ministers has given the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) the green light to implement a project to establish an optimal integrated electricity supply chain to support the resilient coolant system and boiler catchment hydro supply system at the Norocholai Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant.

The move comes in response to a longstanding technical challenge at the country’s largest coal-fired power plant.

“Currently, the absence of a dedicated backup electricity supply within the facility means that during islandwide power cuts, the plant’s cooling and boiler systems lose power. This has often forced the plant to halt operations for four to five days, resulting in significant financial losses,” Herath said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

To address the issue, a technical committee appointed by the Government has recommended the installation of a continuously operating integrated electricity supply system that would allow critical functions to remain active even during national blackouts. “The project is to be executed using funds from the CEB,” he added.

Herath said the proposed system could be implemented within a shorter timeframe and would ensure greater resilience, operational continuity, and financial stability for the Norocholai plant, which is a key contributor to the national grid.