Sri Lanka to Power Up with Uma Oya Project: 120 MW Boost Expected Soon

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's national electricity grid is set for a significant boost, with State Minister of Irrigation Shasheendra Rajapaksa announcing that the Uma Oya project is nearing completion and poised to inject 120 megawatts of capacity into the system as early as next month.

The State Minister highlighted the Uma Oya project as one of several major multipurpose development initiatives currently underway under the Ministry of Irrigation. 

He noted that many of these projects, including Uma Oya, rely on foreign loan assistance for their construction and are nearing completion.

The Umaoya project is not just about boosting the national grid; it also promises significant agricultural benefits. 

With the project's irrigation component coming online, an estimated 4,500 hectares of existing rice fields and 1,500 hectares of new land will receive water, significantly enhancing the country's agricultural output.

Beyond the Uma Oya project, State Minister Rajapaksa also pointed to other vital irrigation initiatives undertaken through the Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program. 

These include the ambitious rehabilitation of the Minipe Canal, involving a 3.5-meter embankment raise, and the construction of the 90-kilometer North-West Provincial Canal, featuring an 11-kilometer tunnel.