While on an inspection tour of 02 new substations completed under the National Transmission and
Distribution Network Development and Efficiency Improvement Project (Package 02 Grid
Substation), Minister of Energy Eng. Kumara Jayakody instructed to expedite the electricity
transmission system modernization program, which aims to improve distribution efficiency, minimize
power failures and facilitate renewable energy absorption to the grid,
Accordingly, under this project, the Ceylon Electricity Board is developing 03 new grid substations,
namely Battaramulla 132/33 kV (domestic substation), Kirindiwela 132/33 kV (grid substation) and
Kirindiwela 220/132 kV switching station, and the Minister inspected two of those substations
located in Kirindiwela during his visit.
The completion of the Kirindiwela Switching Station will strengthen the power transmission from
Mahaweli and Kelani Power Plants to the Western Province, and it will convert the existing single
transmission line into a multi-line transmission network thereby, enhancing system reliability and
reducing the risk of failures in the grid.
The new Kirindiwela Switching station will enhance the 132 kV transmission network's capacity by
500 MW, and it will also strengthen the distribution capacity by 63 MW, meeting the growing
electricity demand in Kirindiwela, Yakkala, Kadawatha and surrounding areas. This will also provide
reliable supply for industrial and domestic use.
The upgraded network will enable the successful integration of rooftop solar power in the Western
Province and other large scale energy sources to be developed across the country in the future into the
national grid,. Furthermore, less wiring may increase the efficiency of the national grid, minimizing
electricity losses through reduced transmission resistance.
Kosgama, Kothmale, Padukka, Pannipitiya, Ratmalana, Seethawaka, Thulihiriya, Veyangoda, Naula,
Polpitiya and Ukuwela sub-stations will also be developed as part of this project.
The Minister emphasized the need to expedite these constructions and assured officials of his support
throughout the implementation of the project.
Project Director A.L.Z. Hussain, Project Manager (Package 02) Engineer S.C.A. Subhasinghe, and
Managers of the other Package project, namely A.D.K. Parakramasinghe, Engineer G.H.P.P.
Ganegoda, and Civil Engineer L.N.S. Silva, along with many other officials participated in the event.