Green energy push: India hands over first payment for three hybrid power projects in Sri Lanka
| 2024-08-29
Representative image.
The projects aim to address the energy needs of the people of 3 islands which are not connected to Sri Lanka’s national grid
In the latest demonstration of its developmental partnership with its neighbours, India has handed over the first payment for three hybrid power projects in Sri Lanka which are coming up on three islands off northern Jaffna. The projects are being implemented under Indian Grant Assistance of USD 1 million, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said on Thursday (August 29, 2024).
The projects aim to address the energy needs of the people of the three islands which are not connected to Sri Lanka’s national grid.
"HC @santjha handed over 1st payment for Hybrid Power Projects in Delft, Nainativu and Analaitivu islands to Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy, Dr Sulakshana Jayawardena and Chairman, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA)," the Indian High Commission said in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
"The project, aimed at addressing energy needs of the people of the 3 islands which are not connected to the national grid, is being implemented under Indian grant assistance of USD 11 million," the High Commission added.
According to a statement issued by the Indian High Commission, the project will combine various forms of energy, including both solar and wind, towards optimising capacities. Initial work has commenced at the three sites, and the project is scheduled to be completed by early March 2025; it will be handed over by late-April 2025.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the hybrid renewable energy projects in Delft, Nainativu and Analaitivu islands was signed between India and Sri Lanka in March 2022. Subsequently a contract for the project implementation was signed by SLSEA with M/s. U Solar Clean Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd on 1 March 2024, the Indian High Commission said.
The project reaffirms India’s commitment to bilateral cooperation in the energy sector as well as the human-centric nature of India’s developmental partnership initiatives in Sri Lanka, the statement pointed out.
Earlier this month, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed for the development of storage facilities and regasification unit in Kerawalapitiya and the supply of LNG for the Yugadhanavi, Sobadhanavi & other LNG power plants in Sri Lanka.
The MoU was signed on August 20, 2024, between LTL Holdings Ltd Sri Lanka & Petro Net LNG of India. According to Sri Lanka’s Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, aims to invest in development and implement the 18-month program from the signing of the MOU to facilitate the LNG requirements through ISO container from Petronet LNG Kochi Terminal to Port of Colombo and Kerawalapitiya to 1000 MWs LNG power plants.
This significant initiative will reduce the cost of energy from thermal power generation to the consumer from 2026, contribute towards the clean energy transformation, stabilize the grid for renewable energy integration, create a domestic market for LNG, facilitate LNG bunkering in the future & domestic other LNG requirements, he said in a post on X.
India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said this will further strengthen cooperation between India & Sri Lanka in the energy sector & widen India's growing international energy footprint.
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