2 km of MV, 3 km of LV, Rs. Mn.
10.4 of cost. Completed within three days and it was a remarkable achievement
of Electrical Engineers of Ceylon Electricity Board.
It is hard to believe that the number of murders that
took place in Kahawatte-Kotakethana during the past few years, nearly 14. These
unscrupulous murders create a massive intimidation to the area. There was a
public conversation taken place that it will be easier to provide security for
the threatened area if the electricity is available, since some isolated
villages like Niladura and Dimbulwala which were to be found nearby, did not
have electricity.
Engineers of Ceylon Electricity Board came up with an
implausible solution by giving electricity to rest of villages within 72 hours.
The energizing of the RE scheme was ceremonially held in the evening of 3rd December
2012. Engineers of Vidulamu Lanka Ratnapura Disrict Project and Sabaragamuwa
Deputy General Managers Office under Region-3 of Ceylon Electricity Board had
tightened their hands and cooperate to the mission by their full strength.
The RE scheme, Niladrura Dimbulwala consists of 2 km
33 kV overhead distribution line, 33kV /415V - 100 kVA transformer and 3 km of
low voltage distribution line. Three phase single circuit of 7/4.22mm ACSR
(Raccoon) over head line on top of 10m reinforced concrete poles was
constructed for the 33 kV line (The tapping was done near the Kattange existing
transformer. The line was constructed crossing the Way River closer to a small
bridge nearby. Since poles cannot be transported from this bridge the road
coming from the Kahawaththa town was used as the access road). For the erection
of 33 kV line cranes and augers were used.
Transformer
installed has been manufactured in Iran. Name plate of the transformer gives
following data.
Rated Power: 100 kVA
Rated Primary Voltage: 33,000 V
Rated Secondary Voltage: 415 V
Rated Primary Current: 1.75 A
Rated Secondary Current: 139.12A
Gross weight: 705 kg
Frequency: 50 Hz
Vector Group: Dyn11
Insulation Class: A
Max. Ambient Temp.: 400C
A low voltage distribution line has been constructed
using Arial Bundled Conductor (ABC). High reliability and the protection was
achieved by using it (due to insulation layer, minimum way leaves clearing and
easy construction were the advantages of using ABC). 8.3m light weight
pre-stress concrete poles have been used as much as possible instead of wooden
poles in LV line. Since the road condition was very bad, a special method was
deployed to transport poles by using hand carts.
The energizing ceremony was held immediately after the
completion of construction in Nilandura Dimbulwala scheme. All gathered with a
curious towards the transformer for the test run with a bit of
nervousness. While operating the DDLO
switches, at once the transformer started to light up the testing lamps with a
warm applaud of all whom eager to see the light of hope.
Illumination lamps were connected to the supply
quickly. Everything has been prepared to opening ceremony. Eng. F.K. Mohideen,
Additional General Manager Region-3 of Ceylon Electricity Board inaugurated the
project together with Hon. Deputy Minister of Power and Energy, H.L. Premalal
Jayasekara by uncovering the plaque. VIPs ceremonially commissioned the project
and vested it to the villagers. Addressing the gathering Eng. Mohideen expressed
his gratitude to Engineers and staff who achieved this task with in very short
period.
Project Manager RE-8, Eng. Pradeep Gunasekara
coordinated the project, in documentation works regarding approvals and fund
allocations without any delay. Two Charted Engineers, Eng. H. D. G. Milroy,
Eng. B. A. P. T. K. Perera and five Electrical Engineers, Eng. N. K. W.
Siriwardana, Eng. W. T. R. S. P. Kumara, Eng. Udara Dassanayaka, Eng. Praneeth
Ganegoda, Eng. Navodana Kankanamge were involved for the construction under the
guidance of Senior Charted Engineers Eng. M. R. Ranathunga and Eng. K. M. K.
Perera. Related newspaper articles on Dinamina is given below.
Eng. Navodana Kankanamge, AMIESL.
