Biz gets power boost

• Govt. pledges slew of measures to prevent future blackouts
• Ministerial committee to report to Cabinet
• Admits maintenance not carried out on time
• Describes countrywide breakdown as “tsunami” and Norochcholai as “differently-abled child” 
• Cabinet approves Victoria generators, new control system installation to be fast-tracked

By Uditha Jayasinghe

The business community wracked by power cuts was given a boost by the Government yesterday, which pledged to extensively upgrade grid infrastructure, consider revamping the CEB’s administration and correct technical issues in the $ 1.3 billion Norochcholai Power Plant to prevent a future blackout.

Describing the breakdown over the weekend as a “tsunami,” Power Deputy Minister Ajith Perera told reporters “companies should not panic. This will never happen again.” Perera had spent five hours in the main control room and confessed he also experienced the power cuts as his official residence did not have a generator.

“I too had absolute faith in the grid, but the silver lining of this experience is that we have more attention and resources to correct defects in our power system because of this blackout. The ministerial committee appointed by the President is seeking the views of professionals and will present their recommendations to the Cabinet,” he said.

As part of this upgrading process, Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval for the renovation of generators at the Victoria Power Station.

 The generators, which are over 30 years, should be immediately spruced up to maintain their current level of efficiency. The renovation and replacement of a stator in the facility will also be given to a company picked by a Cabinet-appointed procurement committee.

Describing Norochcholai as a “differently-abled child,” Perera acknowledged technical issues with equipment continued to plague the plant but stressed that the Government would let “bygones be bygones” and “nurture the child to full growth”.

Serious defects in design were hampering the effective function of the three coal-powered generators he noted, describing how the cooling systems for the generators were also powered by the same generator, so if it is tripped the cooling system also fails, resulting in serious harm.

“These are all points that should have been looked into at the design stage. Now it is too late. But we are still appreciative of the service that Norochcholai provides. We are now planning to set up a separate generator to power the functions of the coal power plant so that if any of the three generators malfunction, the system will still be able to work.” 

Implementation of a new control system is to also be fast-tracked under the new measures.

In fact the continued power cuts on Thursday were a result of a second generator at Norochcholai failing as it was about to be reconnected to the grid. If two generators were functional by the end of the day, power would be restored countrywide, assured Perera.  

Responding to questions on accountability, the Deputy Minister insisted Government focus remained on resolving the power crisis but emphasised an inquiry would take place eventually. However, the military is likely to remain at power stations as the Government continued to believe “there is a threat to the system”.

“Many of the service problems had been identified but were not addressed in time,” he said, referring to reports that engineers at the Biyagama substation had requested maintenance a year earlier.