Wind Energy

Sri Lanka wind power probe to finish soon

An investigation was ordered at the highest levels of government on letters of intent (LOIs) issued to several developers by state-run Ceylon Electricity Board, effectively ‘suspending’ the projects, investors have said.

"It will be completed in 2 to 3 days," Dhammika Perera, chairman of the Board of Investment, Sri Lanka’s investment promotion agency said.

The agency had given tax concessions to a number of renewable energy developers. Industry sources said a complaint had been made questioning the process through which LOIs were issued.

The CEB had issued letters of intent to at least five developers for 50 MW, including two parties that had started construction, officials of the utility had said earlier

Two firms, Senok and Hayleys, have already signed standardized power purchase agreements (SPPA) for 10 MW each and have started building, Ajith Fernando, deputy general manager in charge of energy purchase at Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said.

Another three parties have also been given letters of intent to develop a further three sites of 10MW each, he said.

Wind power plants are given a three-tier tariff on a 15-year SPPA.

The rate is announced at the beginning of the year based on costs, to give a return on equity of 22 percent a year, Fernando said. Mini-hydro plants are also connected on a standardized contract on a tiered formula.

Sri Lanka to set up wind power plants in Northwest

Sri Lanka plans to set up two wind power plants in Puttalam in the northwestern region of the country.

Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment (BOI) recently granted approval to four companies for investments worth US $ 68 million to set up the plants.

According to a BOI press release two investment agreements worth US$ 37 million were signed with Vidatamunai Wind Power (Private) Limited and Seguwantivu Wind Power (Private) Limited. The companies will set up two wind power plants at Vidatamunai and Seguwantivu in Puttalam respectively.

The two wind power plants will supply 20 megawatts of power to the national grid. The ventures will utilise 13 and 12 wind turbines imported from Spain at Vidatamunai and Seguwantivu respectively. When the power plants are completed these will be the only wind power plants that are operational in Sri Lanka, BOI noted.

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