ECONOMYNEXT – Engineers at Sri Lanka’s state-run power utility, are warning that they may ramp up trade union action, which may lead to cascading failures ahead if the government does not take action on approving a low cost power generation plan.

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union has been on ‘work-to-rule’ from May 08, saying they will not work after hours and will go by the book.

The Union in a letter released to the media said they had restored failures during the current flood disaster even though they were on work to rule, and major breakdowns were fixed.

“There is a very high risk of total failure if a breakdown of a transmission like or a major power plant is not immediately attended,” the union said.

The Union said it will hold a special general meeting next week to decide on future action because no action had been taken on promises given to them by authorities.

There was a “very high possibility” to decide not to attend to failures after office hours “under any circumstances,” the union said.

“If that happens no guarantee can be given to the stability of the power system in the country.”

The Union says they were assured at meeting with authorities on prompt action but the two main demands on “granting approval to the CEB’s power generation plan,” and “appointing professionals with higher integrity and unblemished record to the key posts” of the power regulator has not been met.

The CEB has a dispute with the regulator over the last long – term generation plan where the utility claiming that the regulator exceeded its powers in altering a long term generation plan to cut eliminate coal power in favour of liquefied natural gas citing a government policy that was not in existence.

LNG is cleaner than coal and prices are below long term trends at the moment.

There are also disputes over calculations. (Colombo/May28/2018)

Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) might decide not to attend to any breakdowns after office hours and on holidays under any circumstances after a Special General Meeting convened this week, Joint Secretary of the Union said yesterday issuing a press release.

 

All Members of the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) would meet this week to decide on future trade union action, he said.

 

“Our Executive Committee met on May 25 and decided to call a Special General Meeting convening all members to discuss the current developments and to decide on future trade union action. There is a high probability to make a decision at the meeting not to attend to any breakdowns after office hours and on holidays under any circumstances. If that happens, no guarantees can be given to the stability of the power system of the country,” he said.

 

If it leads to a total power failure, the government would have to take full responsibility, he warned.

 

Although the Union has commenced a work to rule campaign on May 08, the engineers continued to restore electricity and carryout maintenance taking into account the disaster situation of the country. “Even though we did not carry out our normal duties after 4.15 PM on working days, they attended to major breakdown to prevent power outages. We did this because there is a high risk of complete power failure, if we did not attend a breakdown of a major transmission line or major power plant,” he said.

 

Although the government has promised to solve the issues raised by the union, two of the main demands have not been fulfilled. These are granting approval to the Least Cost Long Term Generation Expansion Plan (LCLTGEP) 2018-2037 and appointing ‘professionals with highest integrity and unblemished record to the key posts of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=185330

May 27, 2018, 9:52 pm

Ranil Senanayake in his above titled essay gives an alarming scientific academic view referring to toxic emissions from the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant. It will interest readers and especially Ranil Senanayake, to know what the internationally reputed consultants on Coal Power Plants M/s. Rambol said in their final report.

 

Smoke emission

The smoke emission is arranged through a traditional smoke stack and flue gas conduct system, incorporating electrostatic fly ash, removing 99.2% of the solids from the flue gas.

With regard to Sulphur dioxide [SO2] and Nitrogen oxides [NOx], the boiler design and combustion systems are selected on such a way that the emission levels from the smoke stack are kept within the statutory level without special treatment of the flue gas, when the selected type of low Sulphur coal is used. Retrofitting of the plant with flue gas de-sulphurization equipment could be a future option of radical changes in the coal types to be used.

Atmospheric mathematical modelling will be used to determine the necessary height of the smoke stack as well as the resulting concentrations of particles, Sulphur dioxide [SO2] and Nitrogen oxides [NOx] at surface level. The results of the analyses are that the emission levels and the resulting particle matter, SO2 and NOx concentrations on the air, are well within the statutory limits and in accordance with good international practices.’

Acid rain

No coal fired power plant will run 365 days per year. For operation and maintenance reasons the average operation time is expected to be 75%. Ambient air quality standards were set so as not to harm people, animals and plants. Acid rain does not occur when ambient air quality standards are met. Low levels of SO2 and NOx do not have measurable effect on the pH of rainwater. As no acid rain will be induced by the project, no worst case acid rain scenario is to be prepared.

As years pass by there is wear and tear on machinery and it is the duty of the operating staff to be vigilant and take remedial action pronto. This is what, I believe Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya meant when he said ‘There is a scientific way of making such calculations and when the plant was built all these things were taken to account. We have to do these studies again to see if something has changed’, taking to consideration that the plant has been in operation for over ten years. It is strange, over the last ten years South West Monsoon has blown over Norochcholai and over the Sri Maha Bodhi and there has been no complaints. Why is it being brought up without any proof?

Here it is necessary to mention Carlo Fernando, Consultant to CEB, specially went to Orissa, a tea planting district in India, to study the impact of a Coal Power Plant on the tea plantation there. He came back and reported there was absolutely no damage.

It is sincerely hoped, RS has not deliberately mentioned the Sacred Jayasri Maha Bodhiya to rouse the feelings of Buddhists and Buddhist Monks, to harness their support for his gains.

My personal interest on this subject is that I have been handling this project from its inception, while attached to the Ministry for Power and Energy, with tremendous effort made by CEB staff and the Ministry to allay the baseless fears of the then Bishop of Chilaw, who vehemently objected to this plant being sited at Norochcholai, fearing it would have adverse effects on St. Anne’s Church – 12 Km away.

 

G.A.D.SIRIMAL

 

SLAS – Retd. Asst. Secretary, Ministry for Power and Energy.

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LINK

Emissions from the Norochcholai Power Plant do not appear to have caused any adverse effect to the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura but a scientific test should be carried out to obtain a clearer picture, Energy expert Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya said today.

He said the government should obtain the services of a foreign analyst to determine the correct situation.

“An environment impact study should be carried out before constructing a power plant and I am fully aware that such a study was conducted on the location where the coal power plant is situated in Norochcholai before beginning the construction work and showed no adverse impact on the environment at that time. However, we don’t know whether the weather pattern had changed the situation. Therefore further scientific studies should be carried out,” Dr. Siyambalapitiya said.

He said the sacred Bo sapling was brought down from a tree at Buddha Gaya, in the State of Bihar in India and pointed out that there were several coal mines and coal power plants located in Bihar. “If the emissions of coal power plants is damaging it should affect the sacred Bo tree in Buddha Gaya. However there does not seem anything wring at the moment,” Dr. Siyambalapitiya said and added that the Bo-trees in Pettah and in Borella are free from any impact from the emission of sulfur dioxide from vehicles.

“Experts such as meteorologists and botanists and others should carry out an investigation on all these Bo trees including the ones in Buddha Gaya, Sri Maha Bodhi and the Bo trees in Pettah and Borella to determine the real situation,” Dr. Siyambalapitiya said.

However, he said the biggest issue with regard to Norochcholai is the breakdown of the emission control system. “The plant came to a standstill recently as a result of the break down in the emission control system of the plant. The plant had to be shut down during the National New Year for for maintenance work. However, since the country depends much on this plant there might be instances where the authorities will not be able to shout the plant down even to maintain the emission control system. One could imagine what would happen in such a situation,” he said and added that the emission would be greater when the system is not maintained properly. (Yohan Perera)

 

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Emissions-from-N-cholai-Power-Plant-No-apparent-effect-on-Sri-Maha-Bodhi-150205.html

 

May 16, 2018

by Rathindra Kuruwita

A proper technical evaluation needs to be made before stating that toxic fumes, emitted by the Norochcholai Power, Plant could reach Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura with the coming South-west monsoon, energy expert Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya says.

Dr. Siyambalapitiya said yesterday: “There is a scientific way of making such calculations and when the plant was built all these things were taken into account. We have to do these studies again to see if something has changed.”

Last Sunday, renowned ecologist Dr. Ranil Senanayake warned that the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) of the Norochcholai power plant, a filtration device that removed fine particles, like dust and smoke, from a flowing gas, had been malfunctioning since at least February. “When the power plant burns coal, gases like Nitrogen oxides and Sulphur dioxide are emitted. These gases are a danger to the environment and you can already see that the canopies of tall trees in the area have become yellow,” he said.

In response Siyambalapitiya said that Bodh Gaya, from where the Sri Maha Bodhi was brought as a sapling is located in Bihar, which is a state that has a high number of coal mines and power plants. “However, that Bo tree looks fine. But then again we can’t say whether the tree is impacted by coal power plants without proper study.” Ecologists must also look at whether Bo Trees in Colombo are affected by the fumes of diesel vehicles, which have a higher sulphur concentrations, Siyambalapitiya said.

By Niranjala Ariyawansha

The Public Utilities Commissions of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) had informed President’s Secretary Austin Fernando in writing on 9 May, that the General Manager (GM) of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had not objected to any amendments being made by them to the Least Cost Long Term Generation Expansion Plan (LCLTGEP) of the CEB.

That letter, which had been compiled by the Chairman of the PUCSL, Saliya Mathew, was “an utter lie”, said the Engineers Union of the CEB (CEBEU).
They have pointed out that the GM of the CEB A.K. Samarasinghe has sent three letters to the PUCSL explaining the opposition of the CEB to any amendments being made to the LCLTGEP.

Also, they added that the GM of the CEB had even sought the opinion of the Attorney General last year regarding the possibility of taking legal action against the PUCSL for having allegedly tampered with the LCLTGEP compiled by the CEB.

“This situation is more than enough for the President to remove the current Management of the PUCSL and appoint professionally qualified people to such posts. They continue to hoodwink the public and the Government by making fabrications and blatant lies,” said Executive Committee Member of the CEBEU Athula Wanniarachchi.

Also, in the letter sent to the President’s Secretary, by the PUCSL, it has been mentioned that the LCLTGEP compiled by the CEB had been amended based on the Sri Lanka Electricity Act, they noted.

However, during a discussion held with the President on 25 April, the Chairman of the PUCSL had stated that due to the policy undertaken by the President of having no more coal power plants in the country, the LCLTGEP had not been approved, they pointed out.

But, later PUCSL Director General Damitha Kumarasinghe added that due to the price of a Liquefied Natural Gas unit being less costly than a unit of coal power and because coal power plants had been included in the LCLTGEP, it had not been ratified.

However, based on the Electricity Act, the PUCSL has only been authorized to provide guidelines to the LCLTGEP formulated by the CEB and not to make amendments to them.

Wanniarachchi warned that the ongoing work-to-rule campaign launched by the CEBEU will not be stopped till such persons in the PUCSL, who spread fabrications in society, related to the current power crisis, are removed from their posts.

Meanwhile, based on the ‘Generation Mix’ which was included in the Government’s future power policy, that was ratified by the Cabinet last week, the PUCSL previously informed the CEB to recompile its LCLTGEP and send it across by yesterday (15).

In this backdrop, power outages were reported in several areas in Colombo for around five hours last morning, due to the work-to-rule campaign that has been launched by the CEBEU with effect from 8 May.

Media Spokesman of the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy Sulakshana Jayawardene said that the reason for the power failure had been a technical error that had taken place at the Pannipitiya-Biyagama transmission line at around 7.20 a.m. yesterday.

As a result of it, power failures were reported from areas such as Sri Jayawardenepura, Boralesgamuwa, Dehiwela, Mount Lavinia, Ratmalana, Pannipitiya and Battaramulla, and many other areas.

When asked about this power failure, Wanniarachchi said, “Due to the work-to-rule campaign, we had to carry out an investigation and it took some time before power was restored, because we presently work according to the book.”

Ceylon Today learns that such power failures had taken place in several areas of the country since last week.

link :

http://www.ceylontoday.lk/print-edition/2/print-more/4708