Ministry insists investors to complete power plants soon

Colombo: The Power and Energy Ministry has ordered all small and medium scale investors to complete their power generation projects within one year. In several instances, despite the Ministry authorising such investors with licences to start the projects, work was yet to commence even after ten years.

Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne said only a handful of investors had successfully completed their projects.

Several private sector investors had been granted permission to construct power plants using bio gas, chaff, cane stalks and natural gas to overcome the impending power shortage.

Seneviratne said 117 MW was added to the national grid through 42 plants operated by small and medium scale investors. The Ministry had received 898 applications in 2008 to construct medium and small scale power plants.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed him to expedite power generation through projects handed over to private sector investors in view of the looming power crisis, he said.