What Are The Hydro Power Plants In Sri Lanka?

Hydro power is an important source of renewable energy in Sri Lanka. As of 2022, hydro power provides about 44% of the country’s electricity generation capacity¹. Sri Lanka has a long history of using hydro power, dating back to the commissioning of the Laxapana Hydropower Station in 1950, which was the first major hydroelectric project in the country². Today, Sri Lanka has a total installed hydroelectric capacity of approximately 1,612 MW across over 50 hydro power plants of varying sizes¹. Due to Sri Lanka’s abundant water resources, hydro power continues to play a vital role in meeting the country’s electricity demand in an affordable and sustainable manner.

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Major Hydro Power Plants

Some of the major hydroelectric power stations in Sri Lanka include:

Victoria Dam – The Victoria Dam is the largest hydroelectric power station in Sri Lanka with an installed capacity of 210 MW. It is located on the Mahaweli River and was commissioned in 1985. The dam created the Victoria Reservoir.

Kotmale Dam – The Kotmale Dam is the second largest hydroelectric power station in Sri Lanka with an installed capacity of 201 MW. It is also located on the Mahaweli River and was commissioned in 1985.

Randenigala Dam – The Randenigala Dam has an installed capacity of 134 MW and is located on the Mahaweli River. It was commissioned in 1986. The dam created the Rantembe Reservoir.

Rantambe Dam – The Rantambe Dam has an installed capacity of 40 MW and is located on the Mahaweli River. It was commissioned in 1988.

Ukuwela Power Station – Ukuwela Power Station has an installed capacity of 80 MW and utilizes water from the Samanala Reservoir. It is located on the Kotmale Oya tributary of the Mahaweli River and was commissioned in 1969.

Laxapana Power Station – Laxapana Power Station has an installed capacity of 50 MW and utilizes water from the Maskeliya Reservoir. It is located on the Kehelgamu Oya tributary of the Kelani River and was commissioned in 1950.

Hydro Power Generation Capacity

As of 2022, the total installed hydro power capacity in Sri Lanka was approximately 1,512 MW (Daily Mirror, 2022). This accounts for over 50% of the country’s total power generation capacity. Major hydroelectric projects like the Victoria, Randenigala, Rantembe, Kotmale and Samanalawewa contribute significantly to this capacity.

According to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), there are over 50 hydroelectric stations across the country. This includes large-scale reservoirs as well as mini and micro hydro plants. The two largest hydroelectric projects are the Victoria Dam, with an installed capacity of 210 MW, and the Kotmale Dam with 201 MW. Other major projects include Kukule (180 MW), Castlereigh (134 MW) and Samanalawewa (120 MW).

Sri Lanka has utilized most of its viable large-scale hydro resources, but still aims to develop the remaining potential. There are plans underway to add over 500 MW of new hydro power capacity in the next few years (Daily Mirror, 2021). However, environmental concerns have slowed down some projects.

History and Development

Hydroelectricity has a long history in Sri Lanka, dating back to the early 20th century. Hydro power was first introduced in Sri Lanka in the 1920s by engineer D.J. Wimalasurendra, who is considered the “Father of Hydropower” in the country. Wimalasurendra identified the potential for hydropower generation in the central highlands through his research and surveys [1].

Some key events and milestones in the growth of hydroelectric power in Sri Lanka:

The first hydroelectric power project was the Laxapana Falls project completed in 1950 with an installed capacity of 50 MW [2].

The Mahaweli Development Program launched in the 1970s significantly expanded hydro capacity through dams and reservoirs as part of irrigation and electrification projects.
By the late 1970s, around three-quarters of the country’s electricity was supplied by hydro plants.
Major hydro plants completed in the 1980s-1990s include Kotmale, Victoria, Randenigala, Rantembe and Kukule.

As of 2020, large-scale hydro accounted for over 1,200 MW of installed capacity in Sri Lanka [3].

Hydroelectricity continues to be an important part of Sri Lanka’s electricity infrastructure today.

Ownership and Operators

The majority of hydroelectric plants in Sri Lanka are owned and operated by the state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), which oversees power generation, transmission, distribution, and retail in the country. According to Wikipedia, the CEB operates over 50 hydroelectric plants, including major facilities like the Victoria, Randenigala, Rantambe, Kotmale and Samanalawewa plants [1]. Some smaller hydro plants are owned by independent power producers like LTL Holdings and Aitken Spence, who sell power to the CEB grid. The CEB maintains full or majority control over all the major hydroelectric assets in Sri Lanka.

Contribution to Grid

Hydroelectricity is the largest contributor to Sri Lanka’s electricity grid. According to the Wikipedia article on Sri Lanka’s electricity sector, hydroelectricity accounts for 48% of the total grid capacity as of 2022. This amounts to around 1,500 MW out of the total grid capacity of 3,300 MW.

However, the contribution from hydro plants varies seasonally depending on rainfall patterns. During the dry season from May to September, hydro generation can drop to 30-35% of total electricity production. In the wetter months from October to April, the hydro share increases to 50-55% as reservoirs fill up.

This seasonal fluctuation in hydro generation presents challenges in grid management, as more expensive thermal generation must compensate during drier months. Developing alternative renewable sources like solar and wind could help address this variability.

Environmental Impact

Hydropower dams can have significant impacts on the local environment and ecosystems in Sri Lanka. Building large dams floods vegetated land and forests, which can destroy wildlife habitats and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. For example, the Victoria Dam flooded 21 square miles of rainforest and agricultural land when it was built (https://climatefactchecks.org/hydroelectric-power-for-climate-resilience-overview-of-the-victoria-hydropower-plant/). The creation of reservoirs behind dams also changes natural water temperatures and flow patterns downstream, which impacts native fish species that are adapted to certain conditions. One study found that native fish populations declined significantly below hydropower dams in Sri Lanka due to these ecological changes (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268257870_Environmental_Impacts_of_Mini_Hydropower_Projects_in_Sri_Lanka).

In addition, decomposing vegetation in newly flooded areas can release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Proper clearing of forests before flooding can mitigate this impact. Overall, Sri Lanka must weigh the climate benefits of clean hydropower energy against localized damage to ecosystems when planning new hydroelectric dams.

Resettlement Due to Dams

The construction of hydroelectric dams in Sri Lanka has resulted in the displacement and resettlement of many communities over the years. According to a study, millions of people worldwide have been relocated to make way for hydroelectric dams (Location of resettlement sites in Sri Lanka, n.d.). In Sri Lanka, large areas of land have been flooded by dam reservoirs, displacing villages and communities.

One significant example is the Victoria Dam, built in 1978, which created the Victoria Reservoir and displaced around 2,500 families. These families were resettled in areas like Mahawilachchiya, although many faced challenges rebuilding their lives and livelihoods (Planned relocations in the context of natural disasters, 2015). Other major hydroelectric projects like Kotmale Dam and Samanalawewa Dam also flooded villages and agricultural lands, requiring resettlement programs.

Overall, while hydroelectric development has aimed to bring electricity and development, it has profoundly impacted rural communities dependent on the land. Careful planning and support is essential when relocating displaced populations to ensure their rights, needs and aspirations are addressed.

Future Expansion Plans

There are several new hydroelectric projects in the pipeline for development in Sri Lanka. According to the Ceylon Electricity Board’s Long Term Generation Expansion Plan 2022-2041, around 551 MW of new hydropower capacity is scheduled for development by 2028. Some of the major upcoming hydro projects include:

The 120 MW Broadlands Hydro Power Project on the Kelani River, which is expected to begin construction in 2024.

The 350 MW Moragolla Hydropower Project on the Mahaweli River, which is currently under feasibility study.

The 33.7 MW Thalpitigala Hydro Power Project and the 35.7 MW Maduru Oya Left Bank Hydro Power Project, both run-of-river schemes scheduled for 2025-2028.

Several other mini hydro projects under 5 MW capacity are also planned across the country to harness small streams and irrigation canals.

The CEB aims to develop Sri Lanka’s full hydro potential of around 2,000 MW in the coming years to reduce reliance on expensive thermal power and imports.

Challenges and Issues

Sri Lanka faces several challenges in growing its hydro power capacity further. Some key obstacles include:

Limited suitable sites for new large dams due to environmental and social concerns. Many of the best dam sites have already been developed, and building more large dams would require displacing communities and impacting sensitive ecosystems (Source 1).

Drought conditions reducing reservoir levels and generation at existing hydro plants. Prolonged droughts due to climate change have limited hydro generation capacity during critical times (Source 2).

High upfront costs and long development timelines for major hydro projects. It can take over a decade to complete large dam projects from conception to operation (Source 3).

Opposition from local communities and environmental groups to new dams. There are concerns about ecological destruction and displacement of villages from new large hydro projects.

Difficulty integrating large amounts of intermittent hydro power onto the national grid. More pumped storage and transmission infrastructure upgrades may be needed.