El Niño may raise power demand by February

Electricity demand in Sri Lanka could rise further by February next year due to the impact of prevailing El Niño conditions, Ports, Civil Aviation and Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said.

Speaking at an event marking a key development in the renewable energy sector, the Minister said Sri Lanka’s electricity sector was undergoing a major transformation, with the Government focusing on expanding renewable energy, reducing generation costs and ensuring a reliable and uninterrupted power supply.

He said solar power generation currently reaches nearly 3,000 MW during the daytime, against average daytime demand of around 2,800 MW. However, demand rises to about 3,100 MW at night and could increase further as a result of El Niño conditions.

“The challenge has been that we have not had sufficient capacity to store the excess solar power generated during the day,” he said.

To address the issue, the Government is implementing battery energy storage projects with a combined capacity of 160 MW, of which 130 MW is being developed by WINDFORCE. The full 160 MW capacity is expected to be connected to the national grid before the end of this year, the Minister said.

He said bidding had also commenced for larger battery storage projects with capacities of 400 MW, 250 MW and 150 MW, with some already at the evaluation stage. These projects are expected to be integrated into the national grid during the first half of 2027.

The expansion of battery storage would enable Sri Lanka to integrate more renewable energy into the national grid while reducing its reliance on costly fossil-fuel-based generation during peak night-time demand, he said.

The Minister said the projects would help increase renewable energy use, reduce generation costs and provide consumers with a more affordable, efficient and reliable electricity supply.

Meanwhile, a 10 MW/40 MWh Battery Energy Storage System in Anuradhapura was connected to the national grid yesterday under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The system, constructed with the contribution of Storex (Private) Limited, is aimed at increasing the use of renewable energy and improving the stability of the national electricity system.