KEC, International Limited, India based turnkey power transmission company completed the Kerawalapitiya , Kotugoda power transmission line within 18 months. Well within completion dead lines, said Managing Director & CEO, KEC International Ltd., of India, Ramesh Chandak addressing the press late last week.

Although distance covered in power transmission was 18.5 kilometers, cable length seemingly small, practical obstacles to contend with were considerably substantial. The Muthurajawela marshes had to be straddled to ensure power carriage which Chandak said was not a simple operation. Erection of transmission pylons required stabilization to withstand cable pull and tension pressure. Strengthening concrete plinth to withstand such pressures became a specialized operation because mixed concrete had to established in situ to retain and strengthen pylon load. These and other practical in-situ problems had to be surpassed to deliver effective completion on target.

Present at the press brief, additionally, were Executive Director (South Asia), KEC International ltd., N.C.Venugopal, Deputy GM ( Marketing and Business development), Rajeev Dalela.

KEC pre qualified for selection on specs evaluation and work capacity, and quoted budget costs. Particularly low quotation. Chandak said they won the tender surpassing China and Japan. China was discounted as was Japan based on tender quotations, and the established fact that KEC had effectively demonstrated competence to handle considerably bigger projects in other parts of the world. He said they were in simultaneous operations involving power transmission in 22 countries.

Answering questions from the press they said they were not operative in any European countries because needs in that context was that most of Europe was already sufficiently covered in power transmission.

Muthurajawela marshes were practically challenging and at the time the tender was awarded KEC had to practically apply their skills to circumvent site difficulties to be effective.

He said their transmission experiences included transmission working in 40

Minus temperatures, in for example Kazakastan, to the moving sands of the Sahara desert. Additionally they constructed pylons in the sea as well demonstrating their capacity to handle each problem within strictures of that which arose as each project would unfold.

Reverting to the Kerawalapitiya project 65 pylons were installed. Their work force was predominantly local, approximately 80 to 90 %.

Total cost of the project was approximately $ 13 million.

He agrees local expertise and worker out put was good.

KEC’s business included mainly power transmission, and telecommunication and power lines for railway installations as well. Also tyres, retail,IT, speciality and entertainment.

The Company was established in 1945 and effectively represented in 40 countries.