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It was announced in late March 2011 that Sri Lanka’s first coal power plant Lakvijaya, at Norochcholai, in the Puttalam District began Phase One of its operation. Under Phase One of the project, 300 MW, which amounts to 17% of the national power requirement of the country, was be added to the country's National Grid.<ref>[http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2011/03/20/oostory.asp?sid=20110321_08&imid=President-to-declare.jpg&dt=[March%2021%202011] "President to declare open Lakvijaya tomorrow"] Sunday Observer, March 21, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11/Mar21_1300714014JR.php "First phase of Sri Lanka's first coal power plant to be opened tomorrow"] ColomboPage, March 21, 2011.</ref>
In August 2011, China's Exim Bank offered an $891 million loan to build the second phase of 600 MW.<ref name=china>[http://www.cnbc.com/id/44070538/Factbox_China_Sri_Lanka_economic_ties "Factbox: China-Sri Lanka economic ties"] Reuters, Aug. 9, 2011.</ref>
==Coal transport==
Sri Lanka has signed a $450 million deal with China Merchants Holdings and Sri Lanka's Aitken Spence to boost Sri Lanka Colombo port's cargo-handling capacity.<ref name=china/>
China has also lent $400 million for the first phase of a new port in Hambantota.<ref name=china/>
==Relations with China==
China was Sri Lanka's largest lender in 2009 and 2010, giving $1.2 billion and $821 million respectively. In 2009, that figure accounted for 54 percent of total foreign loans, and 25 percent in 2010. In the first six months of 2011, trade between China and Sri Lanka was worth $1.28 billion; only $68 million of that was exports from Sri Lanka to China.<ref name=china/>
China Development Bank Corporation has agreed to provide $1.5 billion by 2015 for construction of roads, bridges, power plants and water and irrigation schemes in Sri Lanka. China's Exim Bank has committed $102.5 million for Sri Lanka to buy 13 new diesel engines for its railways. The engines will come from Chinese manufacturers.<ref name=china/>
==Articles and resources==