SIEMENS – DIMO consortium recently signed agreement with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to embark on the Medium Voltage distribution sub project package 05 of the “National Transmission and Distribution Network Development and Efficiency Improvement Project” aimed at enhancing national power supply. The package 04 of the above project was also awarded to the SIEMENS-DIMO consortium during the 1st quarter of 2020.
The demand for electricity in Sri Lanka is growing at a rate of about 5-6% per annum. Therefore, the generating sources as well as the transmission and distribution facilities have to be developed and strengthened in order to meet this growth in demand. Medium Voltage Distribution System is the backbone of the power distribution network and is the interface between the Transmission network and the LV Distribution network which provide supply to the consumers. It is therefore essential to reinforce and develop a healthy Distribution System which has the capability of catering to the growing electricity demand of the country while maintaining an acceptable reliability and quality above the set operational standards and norms.
Director of DIMO Wijith Pushpawela stated, “DIMO is pleased to facilitate the National Transmission and Distribution Network Development and Efficiency Improvement Project with the package 04 and 05. This is an important project in the nation‘s infrastructure development agenda as it will immensely contribute towards a more efficient and reliable power supply within Sri Lanka.”
The scope of package 05 focuses on augmentation of the Ethulkotte Primary Substation with the aim of increasing capacity to cater the increase in electricity demand, provisioning of highly-reliable power supply with a high degree of operational flexibility in Battaramulla, Welikada and Kalubowila areas and to automate the distribution network. Construction of the New Primary Substation at Rattanapitiya with the aim of accommodating the anticipated load growth including town development requirements of Nugegoda, Boralesgamuwa and Maharagama areas which is fed by LECO and the requirements of the proposed educational area of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura are also included in this project. Augmentation of Beligaha Primary Substation with the aim of increasing supply demand in Galle, Dadalla and Karapitiya areas and to provide high degree of reliability and operational flexibility of the MV network in the Southern Province is another objective of this project.
The agreement was signed between CEB and SIEMENS-DIMO consortium at the CEB Head Office premises with the participation of Vijitha Herath – Chairman of CEB, Y.G.I. Saman Kumara – Vice Chairman of CEB, Eng. Rohan Seneviratne – Additional General Manager of Distribution Division 4 of CEB, Sarath Algama – Director of DIMO, Wijith Pushpawela – Director of DIMO and Prasad Palsokar – SIEMENS Country Manager for Sri Lanka. Ms. N.U. Perera – Deputy General Manager (Planning & Development) Distribution Division 4, P.P.B. Samarasekara – Project Manager (GPDEEIIP-Tr2- Package 05) of CEB and Dasun Arandarage – Head of Power Engineering Projects of DIMO were also present at this occasion.
DIMO and SIEMENS have been partners for over seven decades adding value to Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Projects in the country with the latest technologies and the best solutions. The recent developments in the company’s product portfolio such as renewable energy, micro grid & smart grid solutions, will pave the way towards a sustainable energy mix which in return will be beneficial for the Government to achieve its objectives towards green energy.