July 5, 2023
2 mins read

India’s solar aid to illuminate Sri Lanka’s black-out areas

Late last year, the government announced the project when electricity tariff hikes triggered protests spread in many places of religions across the country…reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has announced that government institutions and religious sites in the country will be powered by solar energy with the support of Indian loan assistance.

Wijesekera said that each religious place would be provided with a five-kilowatt solar panel, while government institutions would receive solar panels suitable for their roof sizes and the project is scheduled to commence within the next two months.

The announcement on the India-assisted renewable energy project came following the Power and Energy Ministry’s earlier decision to use an extended loan of $100 million Indian credit line to fix rooftop solar panels in government institutions and religious places.

Late last year, the government announced the project when electricity tariff hikes triggered protests spread in many places of religions across the country.

Following the government’s decision to raise the electricity tariff to a record high to solve heavy losses suffered by the state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), some Buddhist monks threatened not to honour payment for electricity usage and declare blackouts at temples.

In addition to the religious institutes, the credit line extended by the Indian government was to install rooftop solar at schools, universities, education institutes, hospitals, district and divisional secretariats and other government buildings.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s power demand is to be eased with the construction of a 500 MW renewable energy power plant by India’s Adani Group. Minister Wijesekera said that the necessary permissions have been granted and the energy generated is projected to be integrated into the national grid by December of next year.

Last August, Sri Lanka issued provisional approval to Adani Green Energy to build two wind power projects – 286 MW in Mannar and 234 MW in Pooneryn for an investment of over $500 million.

“Progress of the 500 MW Renewable Energy Project in Mannar and Pooneryn was discussed with Anil Sardana, MD & CEO of Adani Transmission Ltd & project management team” Minister Wijesekera had said in a statement. 

ALSO READ-Lanka’s domestic debt optimisation plan gets nod

Previous Story

India seeks set norms for BRICS expansion

Next Story

Netherlands stay in hunt for World Cup berth

Latest from -Top News

Relief for Students: US Visa Cancellations Paused

More than 1,500 student visas have been cancelled so far…reports Asian Lite News The United States on Friday abruptly paused the cancellation of student visas issued to international students, according to reports.

Yunus Must Be Treated Like Hasina, Warn Islamists

Islamist group made these warnings to the interim government, terming the women’s reform body proposals as “anti-Islamic…reports Asian Lite News The radical Islamist group in Bangladesh, Hefazat-e-Islam, has issued a threat, stating

UN: Bring Pahalgam Terrorists to Justice

The members of the Security Council “stressed that those responsible for these killings should be held accountable..reports Asian Lite News The Security Council has “condemned in the strongest terms” the Pahalgam terrorist

Vatican Hosts Final Rites for Pope Francis

The Argentine-born pontiff, the first from Latin America, died less than a month after returning home from a prolonged five-week hospitalisation for double pneumonia….reports Asian Lite News In an outpouring of global
Go toTop

Don't Miss

India into Semis with Win over Australia

Australia now have their semifinal fate out of their own

India urges developed countries to enhance climate action

But even the mitigation measures and Net Zero promises and