Sri Lanka inaugurates first gas-based power plant

Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated the country’s first gas-based power plant on August 28, according to a statement from the president’s media office.

The Sobadhanavi power plant, designed by Lakdhanavi, will add 350 MW of capacity to the national grid. The first phase of the plant includes an F-class gas turbine with a capacity of 220 MW, which is expected to significantly enhance the national grid by providing a reliable source of electricity, according to the statement.

The second phase, scheduled for completion by early 2025, will boost the plant’s capacity by an additional 130 MW through the installation of a steam turbine. This turbine will utilise the heat produced as a by-product of the gas turbine in the first phase, improving overall efficiency and bringing the plant’s total output to 350 MW.

The Sobadhanavi power plant, located in Kerawalapitiya near Colombo, is owned and operated by Lakdhanavi, the power development arm of LTL Holdings.

“Renewable energy is essential to meeting the 2050 climate change deadline. The more you specialize in renewable energy, the better your chances of success, both in this continent and in Africa. Sobadhanavi is a crucial power station for Sri Lanka,” president Wickremesinghe said.

Earlier this month, LTL signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Petronet LNG to source LNG. Petronet will supply LNG from its Kochi regasification terminal. The proposed LNG supply from the Kochi terminal will be transported via LNG ISO tank containers using a multi-modal transport system.

“Although plans for LNG power plants have been discussed in the power sector for a long time, it took us considerable time to bring them to fruition. Today marks a significant turning point, with Lakdhanavi taking the lead on this investment to enhance our country’s energy security and reduce electricity sector costs,” said minister of power and energy Kanchana Wijesekera.