Sri Lankan Island China decides to suspend hybrid energy project in 3 Sri Lankan islands close to TN coast
Colombo/UNI: China has decided to suspend a proposed hybrid energy project in three Sri Lankan islands off the Jaffna peninsula, close to the Tamil Nadu coast, due to “security concerns” from a third party, months after India was reported to have protested the awarding of the tender to a Chinese firm.
The Chinese Embassy announced on Twitter on Thursday that it has decided to suspend the project of constructing Hybrid Energy Systems by Sino Soar Hybrid Technology, in the three northern islands of Delft, Nagadeepa and Analthivu.
China has instead inked a contract with the Maldivian Government on November 29 to establish solar power plants in 12 islands in the Maldives.
On 18 January, Sri Lanka approved a proposal to involve the Chinese joint venture Sino Soar-Etechwin to instal “hybrid renewable energy systems” in the three islands located in the Palk Bay.
The contract was part of the Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project, which is implemented by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“Sino Soar Hybrid Technology, being suspended to build hybrid energy system in three northern islands of Sri Lanka due to ‘security concern’ from a third party, has inked a contract with Maldivian Government on 29 November to establish solar power plants at 12 islands in the Maldives,” the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said on on its official Twitter handle.
Diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka have taken a dive following the rejection of a fertiliser shipment from China by the Sri Lankan Government based on test results obtained from the official Sri Lankan quality assurance agency, which detected the presence of harmful bacteria in the fertilizer shipment.
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