The agreement for the construction of two floating solar power plants as a pilot project was signed between the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology ( KIAT) on May 31.
The Korean company which carried out the construction work of the project also commenced its operations on the same day. The project will be implemented with financial assistance from the South Korean Government.
According to Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, this will be Sri Lanka’s first floating solar panel energy development project. South Korea has granted US$ 5.2 million to the Sri Lanka Solar Energy Authority for the construction of the two power plants. The KIAT will be monitoring the pilot project on behalf of the South Korean Government. The Minister said that under this project, two floating solar panel power plants with the capacity of 1 MW each will be built on the surface of the Chandrika Wewa Reservoir in the Sabaragamuwa Province and the Kiriibban Wewa Reservoir in the Uva province. The project is also expected to be completed by the end of December next year.
In addition to this project the Ministry of Power and Energy has also planned to install solar panels on the rooftops of Government buildings and religious places with the financial assistance from the Government of India.