The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to provide a $150 million loan aimed at enhancing Sri Lanka’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
The loan package, approved by the ADB in November 2024 following extensive evaluations of technical, economic, and social aspects, will fund key projects under CEB’s long-term transmission plan for 2025–2027.
“These projects will improve the reliability and stability of the national grid, facilitating the integration of large-scale renewable energy developments,” the CEB stated.
The financing will support the construction of six new grid substations, 87 km of 132 kV transmission lines, 45 km of 220 kV transmission lines, and the upgrading of two existing grid substations.
The upgrades are expected to strengthen the CEB’s transmission network, which currently spans 3,400 km of high-voltage lines and 90 substations, serving over 7.5 million customers in partnership with its distribution subsidiary, Lanka Electricity Company (LECO).
The agreement was signed by ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Takafumi Kadono and CEB General Manager Ronald Comester, with Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena also present at the ceremony.
This initiative underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to bolstering its energy infrastructure and supporting renewable energy integration to meet future power demands.
