Cabinet approval to provide free solar power to low-income households
Top priority to complete stalled housing projects
The National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) said that 11,000 partially completed houses have been selected for supply of solar power free under a joint project of the Urban Development and Housing Ministry and the Power and Energy Ministry.
Urban Development and Housing Minister and Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga said that Cabinet approval has been obtained for providing solar power to 25,000 low-income households.
These 11,000 houses have been selected from 15 projects implemented by the NHDA. In addition to the selected houses, another 14,000 houses will also be selected for provision of solar power.
In addition to providing electricity free to 25,000 houses, this project is also expected to add 500 MW of renewable energy to the National Grid. A direct investment of about US$ 650 million will be made for the project. More than US$ 400 million will be used for the local supplies of the project and the remaining amount is expected to be used for the imported content of the project.
The project is expected to generate 648 Gigawatts of electricity per year. By using solar power, the annual saving on oil imports to Sri Lanka is estimated to be US$ 116.64 million. Many housing projects launched by the National Housing Development Authority on the basis of assistance to low-income families have stopped midway due to financial problems and the completion of such houses will be given priority, the NHDA said.
Nirmanee Igalahewage