N’cholai Phase II, also troubled by hiccups

By Ifham Nizam-January 13, 2014, 

An attempt by engineers at the Norochcholai coal-fired power plant (Phase II) to fire the boiler for a test run failed due to a leak in the condenser.

A senior engineers told The Island that the commissioning of the plant would be further delayed. He blamed the six foreign consultant engineers (non Chinese).

However, when contacted Puttalam Coal Power Project – Phase 11, Project Director, Indrasiri Gallage told The Island that though the problem was not a major one they had to close the common boiler for repairs.

He said that certainly there would be a delay in the commissioning the project as it would also take 36 hours to fire the plant. He said that the second phase of the plant scheduled to be launched on January 20, following yesterday’s failure would be further delayed, probably till January 25. Tube samples would be sent to the University of Peradeniya for testing, he added.

Completion delays postpone opening of expressway

Tuesday, 14 January 2014 

Delays in the completion of certain sections of the Galle-Matara extension in the Southern Expressway have postponed the opening of the second phase of the expressway.

The Galle-Matara section was to be commissioned on January 31 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The postponement has reportedly been prompted due to the delay in completing the access point from Nupe Junction in Matara to Godagama and the landscaping of the stretch of land from Pinnaduwa to Godagama.

The opening is now scheduled to take place during the first week of March this year.

The section of the Southern Expressway will be commissioned before the elections to the Southern Provincial Council.