Sri Lanka to open tenders for LNG energy project next month

Colombo, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will open tenders next month calling for international bids for an energy project on liquefied natural gas, a government official said on Saturday.

The project is intended to generate 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. Spokesman for Sri Lanka Powers and Energy Ministry Sulakshana Jayawardane told Xinhua that the government had agreed to proceed with the project, to be implemented in the Colombo suburb called 'Kerawalapitiya'.

"We are now working on the tender process. We will open tenders calling for bids in April," he said.

Sri Lanka depends on hydro, coal and thermal power in main for its energy requirement. However, the prevailing dry spell has reduced the contribution of hydro power to ten percent of the national grid. Otherwise, it remained at 50 percent when rainfall was abundant.

Sri Lanka operates one coal power plant established with financial cooperation from China. The government has now decided not to go for any coal project in future. Instead, it will opt for green energy sources.