To promote renewable energy, India and Sri Lanka have agreed to build a 135-megawatt solar power plant in the island nation’s eastern port district of Trincomalee in two stages. The project has been approved by the Sri Lankan Cabinet, as the country aims to generate 70% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030.
At the second stage of this project, a solar power generation plant with an additional 85 megawatts is expected to be built for a total investment of USD 72 million, according to the note. According to the Indian government, it is willing to promote and strengthen cooperation in the renewable energy sector by operating and facilitating power generation projects utilising solar and wind power, including coastal wind and biomass. The note also stated that India will provide continuous transmission of infrastructure in areas mutually agreed upon in Sri Lanka, including the northern and eastern provinces, in collaboration with private and state entrepreneurs in India and Sri Lanka. A 2013 agreement with NTPC to build a thermal power plant in Sampur was later cancelled due to environmental concerns about the use of coal for power generation.
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