The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) today appointed a high-profile three member committee to carry out an independent investigation of the recent break down of the Norochcholai coal power plant.
The committee comprises of Shibly Aziz, Former Attorney General and President Counsel, who will be the Chairman of the Committee, while R I Senaratne, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, IESL Collage of Engineering and Professor Kapila Perera, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa will serve as the members in the committee who will carry out the investigations.
The committee has been tasked to; Investigate relevant technical and non-technical evidence/information/data that requires ascertaining the causes of the failure, examine the causes for the failure, analyze whether the failure could have been prevented and Make recommendations and advices to prevent similar failures in future.
The appointment comes as a result of the latest breakdown at the power plant on October 15, which resulted in the country experiencing daily power cuts of up to one and a half hours, except for in the Colombo City.
The Norochcholai coal power plant has been in breakdown mode since early this year.
Tsylana / October 25, 2016
dharmista ☘- keep beating a dead cow- ⚡.
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James / October 25, 2016
CEB boast that it has 1400 engineers, yet unable to efficiently maintain a power plant and network. It’s owning to their big talks, lathagey, arragonce and pathetic attitude we to had go through so much crisis in the country’s electrical power sector. The people have entrusted this task to them but they are sleeping drolling over it. It’s this bad mentality of our professionals holds the country back.
Electrical power is the basic foundation of a modern economy and life style of the people. However much bold plans the government has for the country unless it sort this issue for once and for all, all go to wast. Magapolis, all other project wouldn’t be fruitful unless we have efficient constant uninterrupted and affordable power. When they go for accelerated development plan, the top most and prime thing they should have in their mind is power, without it all would grind to a grinding halt. Good power supply is paramount when businesses make their investment decisions.
The President, PM and Energy Minister should put the Solar and Wind power initiatives on urgent and extremely higher gear. When there is a real and huge revolution going on all over the world in solar and wind power, our government is doing it with less than half heart. Modern solar has become cheaper than oil, coal and nuclear. This sector has alone created 20 times more employment than their economy.
President, PM and Energy minister should create a high powered super agency to do it with hard hitting and high caliber people to get the job done. It should be done the way how and on scale President Peramadasa set up the 500 garment factories and house building for the people. They should be given weekly, monthly and annual targets. All the required materials and equipments should made tax and duty free. All house holds and businesses go solar and wind should be given incentives.
Denmark is getting more than 40% of it’s electrical power from wind, and exporting power to the neighbouring countries. Modern high tech wind turbines are highly efficient and made of high tech carbon fibre materials which are used to make modem advanced air planes. They operate on very high elevation to tap the maximum wind. Old turbines required extensive wind study and set it to the maximum high wind direction but modern ones turn to the direction of the wind automatically, and operate with minimum wind.
All over the hill county and coastal areas there are plenty of wind to set up wind turbines. Do the math, each wind turbine
Produces two maggawatte power, and guess 100 of them would make to the power equation of the country. The beauty of wind power is the moment each turbine is set up, immediately it could be connected to the grid unlike conventional power plant which could take months and years to build.
Government should mandate all the tourist hotels, factories, plantations companies to go solar and wind in addition to house holds and big buildings owners. Biggest herdle is for the setting up cost after that little for the maintenance but wind and solar energy is free, in the longer run it’s going to be a huge all around benefit for all.
For financing, in there are lot of individuals, corporates, private organisations and governments in the developed world giving benefits and assistance to developing world for green energy. The GCC countries especially Abu Dhabi and Kuwait doing a lot for the African countries for solar power. Government could tap all of them for the finance.
Modern Solar is huge and cheap. There are huge lot of private investors waiting to do investment if right signal is given and win, win situation is created for them to investment. If we get them to invest in solar in the dry zones, we could solve the fresh water problem as well while producing solar power, they could do deselinatipn of sea water for human consumption. The government could tap Abu Dhabi. They are investing USD 78 billion in India for building toll roads on BOT. Indian government has given 25 years franchise. They build it, operate for 25 years, get their investment with profit and turn it over to Indian government. Even with the low oil price, they sit on big pile of money and looking for attractive investment to grow their money. If it done in right way BOT is the best for infrastructure. It’s great pity that our government is not tapping GCC countries. Not only their governments but lot of individuals and companies have huge money to invest. In there decisions making quick and simple, if one convinces them over cover, they pull out the cheque book to write the cheque for the investment. In developed world it’s long and big process for governments and companies for they are answerable to tax payers and shareholders. During British time, they found not feasible to built the under ground Metro with the under water below Hong Kong harbour tunnel to connect Hong Kong Island and mainland but a private consortium took. They built, it recoup their investment and now earning profit. When government borrow and do it by the time pay back the capital with interest all go bankrupt. It’s always wise BOT for infrastructure investment.
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The Oracle / October 27, 2016
James
Thank you for a very informative comment . Problem is , our politicians simply do not care .
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lex / October 29, 2016
Is Aziz competent ?
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lex / October 29, 2016
In any event as Aziz is a member of the Constitutional Council is he de jure eligible to be appointed?
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