Sri Lanka_ (Commonwealth Union) Battling the constant struggles of an ongoing energy crisis, Sri Lanka is now on the lookout to seek a permanent and secure solution by instilling a reliable energy source on the island.
In March 2023, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLARB) Chairman, SRD Rosa issued a statement to the media, pertaining to certain discussions that were being held on the decision to have off-shore or on-shore Small Modular Reactors on the island that contain a power capacity of 100 MW per unit.
This massive project would also have the potential to tackle the complications of using imported energy sources such as fossil fuels, that have invariably contributed to the island’s dire circumstances of foreign debt.
Sri Lanka does not possess fossil fuel reserves and is heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels that generate a third of the country’s energy. Imported coal and domestic hydropower are also utilized equally to fulfill Sri Lanka’s current energy consumption.
Recently, the Chairman of the SLARB speaking to a news source said, “The government of Sri Lanka has sought to implement the project in collaboration with the Russian government. The required technology will be provided by them, and they had also agreed to take back the nuclear waste. The Russian government has the technology to reprocess the nuclear waste.”
Accordingly, a deal has been struck between the Sri Lankan Government and Russian state-owned nuclear powerhouse, ‘Rosatom’ to build a domestic nuclear power plant consisting of two reactors that will work simultaneously to generate up to 300 megawatts of energy.
Similarly, the Russian state-owned atomic company has extended its support to Bangladesh by financing 90% of the country’s first nuclear power plant project.
Speaking to a Russian news platform, Sri Lankan ambassador to Russia, Janitha Abeywickrema Liyanage stated, “There is a proposal and there is approval to follow the procedures from the Sri Lankan cabinet, and the International Atomic Energy Agency is also now looking at it. Rosatom has set up four working groups in four different areas.”
While construction is to eventually progress in Sri Lanka upon the Government’s approval in the near future, the ambassador views this project as the best opportunity to address the burning issues regarding the energy crisis that has been detrimental to the island’s development.
