Sri Lanka’s government-owned CEB recently launched an auction inviting power producers to apply to develop 1 MW (AC) to 5 MW (AC) ground-mounted solar installations across six locations in the country.

Installations – totaling 19 MW (AC) – will be awarded 20-year PPAs with a maximum tariff of LKR 34.93 ($0.11)/kWh, according to CEB tender documents.

Projects will be located near six existing substations. This includes the 2 MW (AC) Ampara substation in the country’s east and the 2 MC (AC) Habanara substation in the country’s north. It also includes the 1 MW (AC) substation in Kurunegala, the 3 MW (AC) substation in Veyangoda, the 5 MW (AC) substation in Kosgama, and the 6 MW (AC) substation in Pannala, all located in the country’s west.

Proposals will be rejected if they include capacities not in multiples of 1 MW (AC).

This auction is a re-tender of a former 70 MW solar auction.

The deadline for applications is Dec. 19, 2023.

The CEB said the auction is part of the government's 2019 “National Energy Policy of Sri Lanka,” which aims to promote the research and development of locally-generated energy resources such as solar.

Sri Lanka has launched four tenders since October. The country recorded 714 MW installed solar PV capacity at the end of 2022, according to the most recent data published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).