The Construction of the Kerawalapitiya – Port 220kV Second Underground Cable Project constitutes the laying of an Underground Transmission Line (UG/TL) of 15.6 km between Kerawalapitiya Grid Sub Station (GSS) and Colombo Port Grid Sub Station.

CEB has completed the first phase of the Greater Colombo Transmission and Distribution Loss Reduction Project (GCTDLRP) under a Japanese ODA Loan. Further, a 220kV underground transmission line (UG/TL1st circuit) between Kerawalapitiya Thermal Power Plant and the GSS at Colombo Port in the city center was constructed in 2018. Thereafter, a detailed feasibility study was carried out in May 2019, by Tokyo Power Electric Co. Ltd and submitted a Detailed Feasibility Report (DFR) to the CEB. It justified the construction of the second circuit of Kerawalapitiya – Port 220kV TL as an indispensable activity. The goal of the 2nd UG/TL project is to increase the capacity and enhance the reliability of the power transmission line in the Greater Colombo urban development area. The project will thereby enable to strengthening of the existing transmission network, and reduce the rate of transmission losses while improving the reliability of the power supply in the Greater Colombo urban development area.

To achieve the Government’s renewable energy policy targets (70% by 2030), the second underground cable from the Kerawalapitiya Grid Substation to the Colombo Port Grid Substation is essential to evacuate the power. With the high growth of renewable energy sources in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country, CEB has identified Kerawalapitiya as the main switching station to evacuate renewable power to load centers in Colombo City. As per the Generation & Transmission Plan of the CEB, the proposed renewable energy sources in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country and the planned transmission line developments are proposed to integrate the identified renewable energy hubs.

This Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report (ESIA) and the Environmental & Social Management Plan (ESMP) were prepared with the aim of identifying environmental and social risks and impacts and corresponding mitigation measures of the proposed project.

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment was carried out covering the 15.6 km of the route alignment and its immediate right of way (ROW) and the locations of the two substations and the associated facilities. The 15.6 km route alignment cuts across Six Grama Niladhari Divisions (GNDs) of the Colombo Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD) and five GNDs of the Wattala DSD.

The process adopted for the ESIA is included as follows.

1. Study of the project feasibility report and other relevant documents including the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) of the AIIB;

2. Consultations with the CEB Engineering Staff and the officials of the AIIB;

3. Stakeholder consultations;

4. Collecting environmental and social baseline data through secondary sources, site visits, a road survey & meetings with the residents;

5. Data analysis and impact assessment & drafting of ESIA/ESMP reports;

6. Document Review (by the CEB & the AIIB) and finalization.

For Further Reading;

• ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) REPORT & ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP): https://www.aiib.org/en/projects/details/2024/_download/Sri-Lanka/ESIA_Final_P455.pdf
• ESIA SUMMARY, SINHALAhttps://www.aiib.org/en/projects/details/2024/_download/Sri-Lanka/P455_ESIA-Summary_Sinhala.pdf
• ESIA SUMMARY, TAMILhttps://www.aiib.org/en/projects/details/2024/_download/Sri-Lanka/P455_ESIA-Summary_Tamil.pdf