Upper Kothmale, the latest member of hydro power (An interview I have done with Mr. Shavi Fernando)

Mr. W. J.S.L Fernando graduated from University of Moratuwa in Electrical Engineering in 1978, and holds an M.Eng from Asian Institute of Technology in Energy Technology. He initiated his career as a shift charge engineer at Kelanitissa thermal complex. Within the following 20 years he had held a variety of posts in Thermal complex, Energy Unit and Environment and Generation Planning. He is also a representative fellow of IESL Executive Council. He has published many papers, publications and has partaken in numerous overseas seminars and training sessions.

Currently he works as the Project Director of Upper Kothmale Hydro Power Project. The following is an interview with him on the progress of the said Project.

1.) Where is the Upper Kothmale Hydro power project located?

This Upper Kothmale Hydro Power project site is located in the South central mountainous area of Sri Lanka. The water of the Kotmale oya will be diverted from the head pond through the intake. There the water enters into the headrace tunnel which is about 13 km long. It conveys the water to the powerhouse cave, through the penstock, where two Francis turbine units to be installed yet. This underground powerhouse is located nearby Niyangandora village which administratively belongs to Kotmale Divisional Secretary’s Division. After the turbines, water will be conveys to the existing Kotmale reservoir via a tailrace tunnel.

2.) What are the important milestones of the project?

1985 – 1987 – Feasibility study under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) technical assistance.

1992 – 1995 – Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan funded the Conceptual Design, Environmental Impact Assessment and the Final Design.

2000 – Secretary of the Minister of Forestry and Environment gave final clearance to implement the project subject to the strict adoption of the proposed mitigation measures in accordance with National Environment Act No. 47 of 1980. (Amendment Act No. 56 of 1988).

2002 – Loan agreement between the Government of Japan and Sri Lanka was signed.

2003 – Central Environment Authority (CEA) appointed Environment Monitoring Committee to evaluate the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures by the CEB.

Electric Power Development Company Limited, Japan (J. Power) was appointed as Project Consultant.

3.) A brief description about the water falls affected?

Only St. Clair’s fall is affected by this project and it is proposed to release water intermittently 10 times a day to retain its natural beauty with a peak flow rate of 6.6 m³/s. 98% of the time this commitment can be met.

4.) Apart from Electricity, what are the other benefits of this project?

This project will provide more and more benefits during its installation and operation phase. While the local social benefits have been largely confined to the areas around Thalawakale town, Pundalu oya and Kothmale, the wider benefits of watershed management will extend to the whole of the upper basin.

So at the current installation phase, it has stimulated the local business growth with opportunities created by the construction activities. Skilled construction labours, Unskilled labours, Domestic staff, canteen staff and other residential facility support staff are some examples for the employment opportunities that are being provided by the project.

The project will provide the opportunity to make significant improvements to the social and economic environment of the local communities while it is on the operational phase. The business community also expects certain benefits due to local tourism from the reservoir landscape, attracting people to use restaurants and other facilities in the town. The project will furnish infrastructure development including roads, bridges, culverts, electricity, telecommunication, water supply and garbage disposal facilities. These improvements will certainly enhance.

5.) How does the environmental protection take place?

Prior to commencement of construction activities in 2003, a Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was prepared. This EMP served to provide supporting information to the tender process so ensuring that the environmental responsibilities of the contractors are known from the outset. An Environmental Management Office has also been established and it forms part of the project management office. The EMO is staffed by an Environmental and Resettlement officers.Environment inspections are often carried out by a team comprising environment representatives of the employer (CEB), consultant (J. Power) and contractors to ensure compliance with EMP requirements. In order to evaluate the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures in the EIA report the Central Environment Authority has appointed and Environment Monitoring Committee (EMC) in accordance with the Gazette extraordinary No. 1283/19 of April 10, 2003.

6.) What is the role of Environment Management office of Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project towards the safeguard of the environment?

Majorly it has to monitor the quality of air, noise and vibrations at construction sites. Further the surface water quality monitoring of stream of the projects area should be done monthly. They have to implement the recommendations of bio-diversity assessment which conducted by the IUCN about the streams impacted by the project. They will be doing a Ground water level and surface water discharge monitoring program along the tunnel route on a weekly basis. They should continue a Standardized photographic record of St. Clair’s waterfall on a monthly basis.

7.) What are the major features of resettlement?

All settlement will take place within the Talawakelle town limits and hence within an acceptable distance of their original settlement areas. Each individual sub-community will be offered the opportunity to resettle together in a clearly defined area, avoiding community fragmentation and maintaining ethnic balance and existing social networks. And also the all households will be provided with housing and services that are significantly better than their pre-settlement conditions. The settlement plan will be prepared through a process of consultation with the local communities and with the re-settlement committee.

8.) What are the direct benefits to the affected households?

The policy of the Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project is to provide alternative houses in lieu of all affected houses. Floor areas of mostly affected houses are less than 300 sq.ft. Some of the affected houses are semi-permanent and without even basic facilities such as electricity, pipe-borne water and proper access roads. A large number of householders do not possess any legal titles to the land on which the houses are built. There are encroachers on the State land.

The project under its Resettlement Policy treats all the affected households who were in occupation before the cut-off date of June 22, 2001 irrespective of whether they possess legal titles on the land or not.

The project has made arrangements to provide affected households with alternative houses with larger floor areas with much improved facilities such as electricity, pipe-borne water and better access roads. Also the affected common amenities such as kovils, creches, playgrounds etc. will be reconstructed at the new re-settlement sites, by the project.

9.) What are the major sections of the construction management?

Project is the broken down to five lots for easy management.

Lot 1- Preparatory works – contract was awarded in 2005

Lot 2- Main Civil works – contract was awarded in 2006

Lot 3- Hydro Mechanical works – contract was awarded in 2007

Lot 4- Electro Mechanical Generating Equipments – contract was awarded in 2008

Lot 5- Transmission Line

Construction of new access road with drains, culverts and bridges, construction of a new bridge (83m length) across Kotmale Oya at Talawakelle, widening and improving existing road Talawakelle – Tawalantenna of 33 km, construction of all resettlement sites( 495 houses, 33 shops, 6 workshops, six libraries, two churches, 3 kovils), and construction of new school (Talawakelle Tamil school) of five buildings with modern facilities such as auditorium, canteen and quarters for the principal are comes under theLot 1 preparatory works. Further the construction of three storied Urban Council building with all facilities, construction of modern buildings for rest house, playground and cinema hall in keeping with standards of film corporation and construction of New 32 km, 33 KV double circuit distribution lines are also comes under this lot. This lot is completely finished.

Construction of concrete gravity dam (Length – 157 m, Height – 35 m, Width – 7 m), Construction of Tunnel ( Length – 12.9 km, diameter – 5.8m/4.5m), Construction of Surgetank (12 m diameter. and height 94 m), Construction of the underground power house complex and switchyard comes under the work of Lot 2 Main Civil works.

Design and installation of Spillway Radial Gate, stop logs, trash racks, embedded tunnel steel liners, embedded steel penstock, discharge facility for St. Clair waterfall comes under the work of Lot 3 Hydro Mechanical works.

Design and installation of turbine, generator, power transformer switchyard equipment, power plant equipment, expansion of Kotmale 220 KV switchyard, expansion of 33 KV Nuwara-Eliya grid substation and flood forecasting system comes under the work of Lot 4 Electro Mechanical works.

Design and construction of 17.5 km length 220 KV double circuit transmission line between Upper Kotmale switchyard and Kotmale switchyard is comes under the Lot 5 Transmission Line work.

Except Lot 5, the other lots have been awarded in the period of 2005 to 2007. Under the Lot 5, transmission line profile survey is completed and bidding documents are under preparation.

The total construction will be finished by august in 2011.

10.) Is it achievable?

Absoluitly, yes.

11.) Can you comment about the principal features of this project with some statistical data?

This project is a Run-of-river type with a regulating pond. Concerning about the water level, the full supply level (FSL) is 1,194 mmsl, minimum operating level (MOL) is 1,190 mmsl and normal tail water level is 703 mmsl. (mmsl – meters above mean sea level)

Effective strong capacity is 0.8 million cubic meters and reservoir area is 0.25 KM2. The maximum plant discharge will 36.9 m3/s. Concerning about the water head the maximum gross head is 491m and net head at full operation is 473m. As you know the installed capacity is 150MW with 75MWx2 generators and the plant factor with 30%.

12.) What is the Project investment cost and what is the estimated cost of Generation?

The total project cost is 384 million US Dollars with total local investment of 87 million US Dollars. And the loan amount is 297 million US Dollars of an interest of 0.95 percent per annum with a grace period of 10 years. So the re-payment period is 30 years (Excluding the grace period).

When we move on to the Estimated Cost of Generation for the 1^st 10 years from commissioning, the Capital Cost is 0.65 Rs./kWh with an operational and maintains cost of 0.25 Rs./kWh. So that the total Cost is 0.90 Rs./kWh. From 11^th to 40^th year the capital cost will be 2.52 Rs./kWh with an operational and maintains cost of 0.25 Rs./kWh. So the total cost will be 2.77 Rs./kWh.