The Sri Lankan government will move ahead with the 100 MW floating solar power plant on Maduru Oya reservoir after the cabinet of ministers approved the proposal.
It will be an integrated joint venture of the Sri Lanka Mahewali Authority under whose jurisdiction the reservoirs come – the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority.
Proposed by the Government of Canada, the project is likely to have storage component as well, and will be implemented as a joint venture with the Canadian Solar Institute, as suggested by the country's President Maithripala Sirisena who is also the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, along with the Minister of Power, Energy and Business Development, Ravi Karunanayake. The administration will also appoint a joint working committee to conduct negotiations.
Colombo Page reports the government has called for international competitive proposals to build the plant.
Already 2 years ago, in March 2017, the government had approved the proposal to develop the plant using 4% surface area of the reservoir.
The 100 MW floating solar power project is part of the country's Soorya Bala Sangramaya Phase IV program under which Sri Lanka wants to develop 400 MW solar PV. Along with the 100 MW floating solar plant for Maduru Oya reservoir, 2×100 MW in Pooneryn and 100 MW in Monaragala (see Sri Lanka Awards 10 MW PV Capacity).
The news follows the cabinet approving 28 small-scale solar power projects to supply clean power to the CEB for tariffs ranging between LKR 12.84 to LKR 15.93 ($0.072 to $0.089) per kWh (see Sri Lanka Approves 28 Small Solar Power Plants).