PUCSL appoints committee to investigate recent Norochcholai breakdown

A three-member committee has been appointed by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) to carry out an independent investigation into the recent breakdown of the Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai. 

Former Attorney General and President’s Counsel Shibly Aziz has been appointed as the Chairman of the Committee with R.I. Senaratne, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering of the IESL College of Engineering and Professor Kapila Perera, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Moratuwa, being appointed as committee members. 

The investigation team has been tasked with probing the causes for the power plant’s failure, including relevant technical and non-technical evidence, information and data to determine whether the failure could have been prevented and to make recommendations to ensure such failures do not occur in the future.  

The Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Station suffered a breakdown at around 11.00 a.m. on 15 October 2016 which resulted in power cuts up of up to one and a half hours across the island, except for the greater Colombo area.

“As the Electricity Regulator, PUCSL is obliged to ensure that a coordinated, efficient and economical system of electricity supply is provided and maintained throughout Sri Lanka at all times. Unexpected major failures in the generation plants have a significant negative impact on continuity of the supply,” a statement issued by PUCSL read.

Hence the new committee appointed by the PUCSL will seek to identify the causes for the failure and present recommendations to prevent such breakdowns in the future.