SLEB extends power cut in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 March 2009, 05:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Electricity Board (SLEB) officials in Jaffna informed that the power cut imposed in Jaffna peninsula has been extended by two hours with effect from 8 March. ‘Northern Power’, the Chinese firm, which had entered into a contract with Sri Lanka government to supply 36 MW electricity to Jaffna peninsula has pulled out due to the breakdown of the six generators it had installed, sources in Jaffna said.

Northern Power which is said to have been given the contract due to the influence it had with government key persons had first suspended electricity supply and finally had been forced to pull out due to its inability to keep to the contract entered.

Only 19 MW electricity is generated in Jaffna peninsula now while 32 MW is required to meet the entire needs of Jaffna peninsula.

Northern Power, had installed 6 big generators each said to be capable of producing 6 MW electricity in Chunnaakam in the beginning of year 2008 and the 32 MW requirement of the peninsula was within the total capacity of the generators.

However, during the course of Northern Power’s contract period three of the generators were in combination generating only 4 MW which is but one eighths of the total electricity need of the entire peninsula.

Later one of them broke down first and then the remaining two were found incapable of functioning.

Chronology: