35 MW Sri Lankan hydro project

The Sri Lankan government plans to immediately implement the long-awaited Broadlands Hydropower Project (BHP) to add more hydropower to the national grid and reduce the cost associated with thermal power generation.

The Cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal made by Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka to proceed with the project.

The Broadlands hydropower plant to be constructed at Kithulgala, about 90 km north-east of Colombo, will add 35 megawatt to the national grid. Once completed it expects to generate 137 GWh of electrical energy annually.

The project is estimated to cost US$ 82 million, 85% of which is financed by China and the remaining 15% is to be borne by the government.

The project which is a run-of-river type project planned to build on the Kelani River is the last of the series of hydropower plants of Laxapana and it has been stalled for 25 years due to environmental concerns.

However, the government says that the project can prevent carbon emission by 86,000 metric tons per year. The state can earn US $ 2.4 million per year through carbon trading, the government says.