March 01, 2023, Colombo: The Cabinet approved signing the international conventions relating to generating electricity using nuclear power as it was a reliable, low-carbon baseload source of electricity to complement renewable energy sources in the future, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLARB) Chairman Professor S.R.D. Rosa said.
He told the Daily Mirror that the country should have either off-shore or on-shore Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) with a power capacity of up to 100 MW per unit. The project will qualify to reach a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as the next step upon signing the conventions. With the use of nuclear power generators, the country could minimize the use of fossil fuels.
“The government has sought to implement the project in collaboration with the Russian government. They will provide the required technology and have also agreed to take back the nuclear waste. The Russian government has the technology to reprocess the nuclear waste,” Prof. Rosa said.
A feasibility study has been conducted to identify suitable land for establishing a nuclear power plant; however, the barge-mounted power plant’s first priority would be given. Electricity is vital for society’s functioning, and the steady production of nuclear electricity will help us avoid shortages and outages. Sri Lanka is seeking to increase and diversify its power production capacity. The government is looking at nuclear power as a reliable and low-carbon option for its energy mix as it aims to achieve carbon neutrality in the power sector by 2050.
