Sri Lankan Utility Seeks Bidders For 165 MW Solar Capacity

• Sri Lanka's CEB has opened a competitive solicitation process for 165 MW AC solar power capacity 
• It needs to be spread across the country in the form of projects with 1 MW AC to 5 MW AC installed capacity 
• Recently, the country awarded the rights to develop a hybrid renewable energy project in Jaffna to an Indian company 

The state-owned utility of Sri Lanka, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has invited proposals for the development of 165 MW AC solar PV capacity with a 20-year operational life. 

A single project can have an installed capacity of 1 MW AC to 5 MW AC, according to the request for proposals (RFP) documents. Installed projects need to be grid-connected to nearby substations. Available capacity is indicated for each grid substation in the tender call. 

Broad scope of work for the project developers is to design, finance, procure, construct, commission and operate and maintain the plants. Procuring land is the responsibility of the winning bidder as the CEB expects around 3 acres or 1.21 hectares of land for a 1 MW AC solar plant. 

CEB will enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the winners for a 20-year duration from the date of commencement of commercial operations. 

It will admit proposals to this tender call issued on February 2, 2024 till May 2, 2024. 

Recently, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) signed an agreement with Indian EPC USOLAR to develop a hybrid renewable energy plant on the 3 islands of Jaffna. The project, with 1.7 MW solar, 530 kW wind and 2,400 kWh battery energy storage along with 2,500 kW of standby diesel generation capacity, will power the islands of Delft, Eluvaitivu and Nainativu (Nagadeepa). The project is supported by a $10.995 million full financial grant from the Indian government. 

According to local Indian and Sri Lankan media reports, the tender for this hybrid project was initially won by a Chinese company. However, it was shelved after Sri Lanka's next door neighbor India raised security concerns since Jaffna is around 50 kms from the Indian coast.  

Sri Lanka is also experimenting with newer applications for solar PV technology. In February 2024, the authority announced the commissioning of the country's 1st agrivoltaic pilot project in Hanthana at a tea plantation site. Co-located with 24 kWh battery energy storage system at the Hanthana Ratnasiri Wickramanayake National Training Centre, the 85 kW project is equipped with semi-transparent solar panels.