2026-03-03 / Oral Question: Norochcholai Thermal Power Plant (Q.68/2025) 2026-03-03
Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody responded to a parliamentary question regarding generators at the Norochcholai (Lakvijaya) Power Plant. He clarified that no generators were purchased for this purpose; however, two generator sets donated by the Chinese Government in 2015 — originally received by the Ministry of Disaster Management and subsequently transferred to the plant — are available. The Minister noted that the plant's cooling system normally draws auxiliary power from its own generating units or the national grid, and that engineers, together with the plant's construction company and design entity, are currently conducting tests to assess the feasibility of using the donated generators to power the cooling system during a total grid blackout, with necessary modifications to follow.
Hon. Speaker, the answer is as follows:
(a)
(i) No generator has been purchased for this purpose. However, according to information provided by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), in 2015 the Government of China donated two generator sets to the then Ministry of Disaster Management, which were handed over to the CEB and thereafter to the Norochcholai (Lakvijaya) Power Plant. The cooling system and associated systems at the Lakvijaya Power Plant obtain auxiliary power from the plant’s own generating units; when those units are not in operation, the electricity required to run the cooling system is drawn from the national grid.
(ii) The two generators were received as a donation from the Government of China.
(iii) With regard to the feasibility of using these generators to supply power to the cooling system in the event of a total system failure (blackout), tests are being conducted by the plant’s engineers together with the construction company of the plant and the design entity. Following the tests, necessary modifications will be made to the cooling system and the two generators will be appropriately put into service.
(iv) Action is being taken as stated above.
(b) Not applicable.