Have you faced rolling power cuts? Coal / LNG/ Short Term Energy Shortfall - What Next?

As usual no one is thinking rationally, they are all backing their corner ignoring the reality, looming energy shortfall – Coal / Power Requirements

Let me begin by saying I am against Coal in principle, knowing what we do now about the harmful effects on the environment not just for us in Sri Lanka, but also to those who have to deal with the sediment/dust and pollution resulting from it and it could be India and South East Asia that suffer, for that matter.

Similarly we do know the harm caused to Sri Lanka from Coal Fired Plants in India, but as we don’t have resources allocated to study this fact, we are unable to explain to our citizens the human and environmental toll to Sri Lanka resulting from Coal Fired Plants in India.

So all we have are anecdotal evidence of the harm that Norochchalai has done to the people who live around the area, when strict safety and pollution standards are not adhered to. See link below;

http://www.dailymirror.lk/expose/article/Lakvijaya-Coal-Power-Plant-Spewing-controversy-and-more-pollution-149046.html

Then look at the contribution to our Grid from Coal yesterday, 13^th May 2018 - 54.56% http://www.ceb.lk/yesterday-electricity/ If you click on the link, you will only get the percentage of the previous day, and so it will not be the same as yesterday!

Now if we did not have Lakvijaya, where would be? I know the anti-coal lobby will say, we would have already gone into alternative and renewable sources. I say BULL SHIT, it was not on the cards at that time. I however say that had it been done long before it finally came on stream, using the original Japanese Technology, the pollution would have been less, and we would have had it in operation 10 years ahead, and the cost to the people would have been less. We know the huge commissions and corruption that has taken place in getting a second rate Chinese product instead! To say nothing of the breakdowns.

Then came the argument about the need for a second Coal Plant in Sampur and there was a huge hue and cry against it, and it was dumped in favor of a LNG, less polluting non – renewable energy plant in Sampur instead, which has still got to get off the ground, due to other intervening implementation delays.

I am a friend of the environmentalist Ranil Senanayake and at that time he told me about the possible damage to Sri Maha Bodhi from the Sampur Project, knowing the way the wind blows, this was many years back. Now with the same issue at Norochcholai he has conveniently done the same with this pollution, see below. Why?

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Norochcholai-Coal-Power-Plant-could-affect-Jaya-Sri-Maha-Bodhi-Ecologist-149854.html

Only because our people don’t take any notice when there is a problem, until their limited focus, gets rattled by some threat to their belief system, hard wired into their heads, with no other real understanding of what it means. So for Buddhists, any threat to the Sri Maha Bodhi is like a personal attack on them. Ranil was smart enough to use that which attracts publicity in this desperate race for people’s and law makers’ attention. Frankly I am surprised he did not use this before, but yesterday, it attracted interest and gained traction, tripping up the Coal Lobby in their quest for another plant before it is too late.

Interestingly, the President, due to advice from his traitors around him, likely with a personal interest, has reopened the Coal debate, when people thought it had been firmly shut, by NOT excluding Coal from his instructions to the PUC in looking into new power plants.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-04/25/c_137136717.htm

I believe Ranil Senanayake snookered that interest with this proclamation, as he definitely has no ulterior motive, other than the need to return Sri Lanka into a place where we can live, without fear that we are being poisoned, by water, food or air we breathe, as simple as that. Currently of course are heading for disaster.

The following is a link to a very comprehensive article on the matter, and is worth reading if you are interested in being abreast of the energy debate.

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=183880

However, today’s FT has another news item that the Ministry of Power is in negotiation to build THREE LNG plants from different countries.

http://www.ft.lk/front-page/Cabinet-approval-to-construct-three-new-LNG-power-plants/44-654960

Whatever the pros and cons, we have to have an inter related plan that urgently addresses HOW TO PRACTICALLY MEET THE POWER DEMAND OF THE NEXT 10 YEARS, as there is no clear plan, due to delayed decision making, and have a long term view that ONLY renewable energy is the way forward, and the technology is being used in other countries, so we merely need to engage and set up, perhaps in the ocean outside our waters if it is feasible. IN the short term my dear readers, WE HAVE A PROBLEM in meeting the demand, and to that extent we must encourage as many households by giving free solar panels to reduce pressure on the grid by being energy independent.