Sri Lanka to expedite grid connections for roof top solar: PUCSL

Jan 25, 2017 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's power regulator has directed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Lanka Electricity Company Private Limited (LECO) to connect domestic rooftop solar plants to the national grid within two weeks from the date of application. “The direction to provide the connection for rooftop solar plants to the national grid in an efficient manner within a time fame will encourage people to move for solar power,” Damitha Kumarasinghe, director general of the Public Utilites Commission of Sri Lanka said. “Among the non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) sources, rooftop solar PV is considered as one of the fastest technologies to install and integrate into the grid." Sri Lanka aims to add 200 MW of solar electricity to the national grid by 2020 and 1,000 MW by the year 2025. The government’s “Soorya Bala Sangramaya” (energy battle) programme is one such strategy supporting future energy requirement. So far Sri Lanka has added about 42 megawatts of capacity to the national grid through domestic rooftop solar plants by end 2016. To ensure completion of the grid connection and signing the Net metering, Net accounting or Net Plus agreements within the below mentioned time frame, PUCSL stipulated that: 1.Maximum acceptable time to provide the estimate for net meter installation shall be one week from the date of submission of the duly filled net metering application with the relevant application fee. 2.Maximum acceptable time to provide net meter installation and grid connection with signing the agreement shall be one week from receiving the payment for net meter installation. Sri Lanka has 7,904 domestic rooftop solar plants that are installed and connected to the national grid, data up to Novemeber 2016 reveals.