Norochcholai: a new chapter in our culture -President Rajapaksa

[May 11, 2006 - 10.00 GMT]

Although this is generally considered the laying of the foundation stone for the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, in the deeper sense it is an occasion when we turn a new page in our history and culture. From this moment on we will be able to bring to an end the period of fears and doubts about an impending crisis in power supply. From this moment on we can have new expectations of the future. In other words, we, as a nation will now be able to breathe more freely.

So said President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone for the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant today (Thursday 11).  

He said there was a time when people lived with lamplight. But in today’s world electricity had become a necessity for society.

We were a country that largely depended on hydro power for our energy needs. We have now reached the maximum capacity of power generation through hydro resources. The proposed Upper Kotmale Power Project would be able to supply only 150 MW of power. However, in by 2010 our electricity demands will be 900 MW. We should not forget that although it will be possible to raise standards of living through greater availability of electricity, there was still a large population among us who did not have this facility. Twenty five percent of our population is lacking in electricity.

President Rajapaksa said the demand for electricity in Sri Lanka rises by 10% annually. It was now clear that hydro power cannot supply this demand. Although it was possible to supply any amount of electricity through diesel based power plants, we cannot afford such a cost. People who are able to raise their standards of living by obtaining diesel generated electricity, are faced with an unbearable problem when they receive their monthly electricity bill. It is for its ability to supply electricity at a lower cost that our attention was drawn to a coal powered power plant as an alternate means of power generation.

Coal power is not something strange to us. Many developed and developing countries obtain their power supply through coal. We are aware that this drew the attention of leaders before us, and also of our scientists.

The original location suggested for a coal based power plant was Trincomalee. There was a later proposal that it should be located at Mawella in the South. The necessary feasibility studies to establish it at Norochcholai at Kalpitiya began after this was identified as a suitable location.

Although the need for a coal powered power plant kept increasing day by day, due to political and other narrow considerations it was shelved for the past 06 years. This has cost the country several million rupees. This was an unfortunate situation prevailing in our country.

President Rajapaksa explained that before considering the needs of the country, what was thought of was the next election.  The development needs of the country were identified on the basis of what will best help in winning an election. We will not engage in politics that ignore national needs if they happen to be unfavourable at the next election. We are not politicians who work with our eyes trained on the next election.  What we look at are the needs of the next generation; the needs of the country. It is for the benefit of the larger masses that we ignored political advantage, set aside narrow gains and ambitions, and decided to expedite the work on this power project.

It is not possible for us as a responsible government to keep looking on when the people will face untold hardship due to a crisis in power supply.

If there is a drop in rainfall the hydro catchments will not receive water. If the levels of those reservoirs fall, power will have to be cut or restricted. We cannot govern on the basis that such situations are inevitable. Our duty and responsibility is to provide the genuine needs of the people. It is for this reason that we decided to expedite the work on this coal powered power plant at Norochcholai.  

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Last Updated Date: May  11, 2006 -10.00 GMT