Sri Lanka has granted provisional approval to Adani Green Energy for two wind projects of 286 MW and 234 MW in the country’s Northern province, worth more than USD 500 million, Energy and Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekara announced on Wednesday. In a tweet Wijesekara said, “he met with officials from the state-owned Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Sustainable Development Authority on Tuesday to discuss the status of renewable energy projects. The project will be held in Mannar and Poneryn.”
Wijesekara said, “21 of 46 Projects that were delayed due to CEB Act amendments will enter into PP agreements next week. 26 Renewable proposals from EOIs that were given Provisional Approvals to be expedited with Grid clearance and transmission plans and other proposals to be evaluated within 30 days.”
The remarks came a day after Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani met with then-Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and ex-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for Adani Green Energy project, just weeks after his company signed a deal with the state-owned Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to develop and operate the strategic Colombo Port’s Western Container Terminal (WCT).
“Privileged to meet President @GotabayaR and PM @PresRajapaksa. In addition to developing Colombo Port’s Western Container Terminal, the Adani Group will explore other infrastructure partnerships. India’s strong bonds with Sri Lanka are anchored to centuries’ old historic ties,” Adani had tweeted.
Due to the opposition from local port trade Adani group failed to gain control over Eastern Container Terminal (ECT). By offering the WCT, the Sri Lankan government cancelled the tripartite agreement on the ETC with India and Japan.
