The preliminary feasibility study for Sri Lanka’s first canal-top solar power project has begun along the Viyana Canal in Mahiyanganaya, marking a notable step in the country’s renewable energy drive.
According to Ada Derana, the project involves installing solar panels over the canal, which authorities identified as a suitable site because of its length of more than 20 kilometres and its potential to add significant generating capacity to the national grid. Daily Mirror, which described the initiative as a “landmark” project, reported the same feasibility study getting under way this week.
Officials said the scheme would do more than produce clean electricity. Covering the waterway with panels is expected to reduce evaporation and help regulate water temperatures during periods of extreme heat, while also opening the door to future initiatives such as green hydrogen production. The design will include a secure electric fence system intended to minimise the risk of wild elephants falling into the canal.
A special field inspection and progress review was held in Mahiyanganaya on July 20. It was attended by Parliamentarians Ravindra Bandara and Sudath Balagalla, along with officials from the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, the Ceylon Electricity Distribution Company and senior engineers from the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority.
The concept mirrors canal-top solar installations pioneered in Gujarat, India, which combine power generation with water conservation. If the study proves positive, the Mahiyanganaya project could serve as a template for similar developments elsewhere in Sri Lanka.
