PSC needed to probe N’cholai breakdowns
- Wednesday, 25 December 2013
The Power and Energy Ministry should call for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the frequent breakdowns at the first coal fired power plant, at Norochcholai, rather than the Ministry Secretary writing and seeking explanations from the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) management, a consumer centered organisation said yesterday.
With the recent breakdown at the plant, the CEB had to spend an additional Rs. 800 million to make up the power shortfall during the past 10 days or so and the trend would continue, National Movement of Electricity Consumers Advisor Bandula Chandrasekera warned.
He told The Island that it was a serious situation and should be taken lightly as by next year the plant would provide 900MW to the national grid.
"This plant will be contributing the Lion’s share to the grid, but sadly we are still struggling with its first phase," he added.
He also said that according to his information the plant would take months to be restored.
CEB Additional General Manager (Generation) M. C. Wickramasekara told The Island that that though the latest problem was a minute one, Sri Lanka did not have the technical know-how to attend to it.
The Senior Electrical Engineer said that one of the tubes out of millions had cracked and as a result sea water had entered the boiler and contaminated it. He said that it was so minute, that contamination was 200 parts per million (PPM).
He said that the Chinese builder would independently bring a Chinese expert to attend to it. The expert was expected today, while the CEB, on its part, had requested the services of Indian experts who were scheduled to be here on Friday.
He expressed the hope that the matter could be sorted out soon, while saying they would be extra cautious before commissioning the second phase of the project soon.
The Plant. which is notorious for its frequent breakdowns. experienced the latest technical hitch on December 13.
By Ifham Nizam
