Sri Lanka’s cabinet approves Chinese LNG power plant

By APD Writer Easwaran

COLOMBO, Nov. 8 (APD) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved the construction of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plant in the southern town of Hambantota, Sri Lanka’s government information department said on Wednesday.

The 400 Mw LNG power plant in Hambantota is to be implemented as a combined project by China Machinery Engineering Corporation and Sri Lanka’s state power company.

The LNG power plant will be included in a long term energy plan approved by Sri Lanka’s public utilities commission and implemented with relevant approvals.

China has already heavily invested in Hambantota through a port an international airport and a proposed economic zone.

In August Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that steps had been taken to have two LNG plants in the country with the assistance of India and Japan.

He said the third LNG power plant was likely to have Chinese involvement while tenders had also been called for a fourth LNG plant.

“If all this is successful we will have four LNG power plants established at the same time,” he said.

Sri Lanka has been suffering from power cuts in recent times as it depends heavily on hydropower and coal power.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)