COLOMBO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka could face pressure on electricity generation in March and April 2027 due to prevailing El Niño conditions, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said on Monday.
Karunathilaka, who also serves as minister of ports and civil aviation, said the government plans to strengthen the national grid through battery energy storage systems to help manage possible supply constraints.
Under the first phase, projects with a combined capacity of 160 megawatts are expected to be connected to the national grid before December.
The government plans to add 130 megawatts in September and another 10 megawatts in October through the system, he said.
Karunathilaka added that another 50 megawatts could be connected to the grid if issues surrounding the privately developed Mannar wind power project are resolved.
The minister said the government also plans to add battery storage capacity of 250 megawatts and 150 megawatts to strengthen electricity supply and help the country manage possible generation constraints linked to El Niño. ■