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wiredInUSA - October 2013
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Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa
has officially opened a new thermal power
plant in the Northern province, connecting
the Jaffna peninsula to the national grid. The
president inaugurated the Chunnakam grid
substation after a lapse of two decades.
After 23 years of isolated operation, the
peninsula will receive the power from the
national grid when the 67km transmission line
from Kilinochchi to Chunnakam connects
the newly built 63MVA Chunnakam grid
substation with Kilinochchi grid substation.
The new Chunnakam substation will supply
63MW of power to around 120,000 houses as
well as small and medium scale industries in
the area. Previously the Jaffna Peninsula was
powered from the Lakshapana hydropower
plant but, following terrorist activities in 1990,
the north was powered through large-scale
private generators.
The Northern Spring development program,
initiated on the directive of president
Rajapaksa after the end of the war in May
2009, started a program to supply electricity
to all households in the Jaffna peninsula.
The lack of connection from the national
grid to power the region was an obstacle
to establishing industries. The connection of
the new power plant is expected to boost
economic development in the peninsula.
ASIA / AFRICA NEWS
INDEXNew power plant connects
Jaffna peninsula to grid