Sri Lanka adds wind power to grid

Colombo, Aug 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka has added 30 megawatts of wind power to its national grid in a bid to reduce power shortage in nearly 60 cities, including Colombo.

The country's hydro power generation fell below 10 percent due to a severe drought, Xinhua quoted D. Ramanayake, the spokesman for the energy ministry, as saying.

"For the first time in three years, 30 megawatts of wind power was added to the national grid," he said.

The Met department has forecast monsoon rains in late September, prompting the government to look for ways to tackle the drought, which has affected 66,000 families.

The government has allocated $28 million to help them.