News
Completion of 35MW Broadlands hydro plant held up due to non-availability of Chinese experts
by Ifham Nizam
The completion of 35MW Broadlands hydro plant scheduled for December is expected to be further delayed due to the non-availability of top Chinese experts in Sri Lanka, officials said.
The delay will further add to the debt burden of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), which is projected to be between Rs. 55 and Rs. 60 billion as against Rs. 85 billion in 2019, they asserted.
With the proposed commissioning of the plant, the CEB would save more than Rs. 10 million per day, the officials said.
CEB Chairman Eng. Vijitha Herath told The Sunday Island that despite coranavirus fear worldwide in May, the tunnel was completed in two stages. However, the Power House installation has to be handled by the Chinese experts.
He said that 45 Chinese experts were expected here and the delay was due to corona pandemic. However, plans are underway to get them down at the earliest.
He also said that it would take about three months to complete the 35 MW Hydro Power Plant, which will generate 125 million units or 125 GWh annually, which works out to a saving Rs. 3.75 billion.
The CEB senior management recently visited the 3.5km tunnel of the proposed Broadlands Project on the instructions of the Presidential Task Force led by Senior President’s Advisor Basil Rajapaksa.
The 35 MW plant over the Kelani River at Kitulgala is being constructed by the Chinese government-owned China National Electric Equipment Corporation, while its consultancy and monitoring is by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau of Sri Lanka.
The total estimated cost of the project is USD 82 million, which was partially financed by a USD 69.7 million loan from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The balance is funded by the Hatton National Bank of Sri Lanka.
The Broadlands project is the last plant in the Lakshapana cascade power station complex on the Kelani River system, which was started 50 years ago.
The construction of the Plant would prevent some 88,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. A unique feature that the project is that it is Sri Lanka’s first large-scale hydropower plant associated with the Clean Development Mechanism established under the International Kyoto Protocol.
After the completion of the project, plans have been prepared to construct an energy park, including a hydropower museum in the area expecting the area as a tourist attraction.
Senior engineers of the CEB said that sidelining two important hydro power projects, which were scheduled to go into operation from 2015, were among some controversial proposals included in the Board’s Least Cost Generation Plan.
A senior engineer said that the plan to sideline crucial and inexpensive hydro generation projects had cost the CEB at least Rs. 5 billion rupees annually as it had to rely on costly thermal power to fill the void. “In other words, it is between Rs. 20 and Rs. 25 billion of public funds,” he said
Broadlands 35MW and Uma Oya 120MW hydro plants were scheduled to commence operations by the beginning of 2015, as per the 2011 plan. However, in the 2011 plan addendum and 2013 plan, they were put off due to some unknown reason to commence in 2016, but further delays have held up their commissioning, an official said.
The delays should be investigated, senior engineers said, while pointing out that holding back the construction of the hydro plants had an adverse cost implications on the CEB and the country at large.
It also added to the worsening air pollution situation through the use of thermal plants, he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
