Dec 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka's only coal power plant, the Lakvijaya Plant in Norochcholai, is currently undergoing urgent maintenance work and it will resume operations on December 25, country's power authority Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said.

The plant has been shut down since November 23rd to carry out annual maintenance work that is urgently needed.

CEB Vice Chairman Anura Wijepala has said the power generation operations at the plant were stopped as requested by the staff to carry out urgent maintenance work.

He has explained that the plant was due to be shut down earlier but it was delayed due to the insufficient hydropower capacity brought about by the prolonged drought weather conditions prevailed in the country.

The recent rains have increased the hydropower capacity up to about 58% of the requirement and reservoir storage up to 73% and therefore the staff has decided to proceed with the much needed maintenance work, the official has said.

According to the CEB, the current maintenance work is aimed at getting the plant to function smoothly during the next drought period between February and March next year.

The Norochcholai power plant has broken down on 12 occasions since it was commissioned in March last year. The latest break down at the plant occurred on August 8th amid the severe drought forced the power authority to impose three-hour power cuts throughout the island.