Feasibility studies carried out for the Moragahakanda reservoir in Sri Lanka, the last remaining major water storage project under the Mahaweli River Development Plan, are to be reviewed in anticipation of a possible early startup of the project.
The Ministry of Irrigation, Power and Energy has allocated US$1M to reappriase the feasibility report. The anticipated construction cost of about US$500M is to be raised from external sources.
The primary purpose of the Moragahakanda reservoir, located 150km northeast of the capital city of Colombo, is to stabilise the irrigation water supply for a number of reservoirs located further downstream. The reservoir is to be impounded by construction of a 50m high earthfill embankment across a tributary of the Mahaweli river. The development of about 20-60MW of hydro power at the site is also under consideration. The reservoir will also provide additional drinking water to North Central Province.