The power cuts imposed across the country due to continuing problems at the Chinese built Norochcholai power plant have been extended for another fortnight.

Sri Lanka has lost around 17% of its capacity to meet demand for electricity due to the failure.

“In our opinion, it has not been performing up to the standards and up to the expected level,” Anura Wijepala, CEB’s deputy head told reporters referring to the country’s only coal-fired power plant.

“Unfortunately all our efforts to restore Norochcholai power plant have not been successful. It needs about two weeks shut down for the repairs.”

The power plant was built by the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMEC) who were paid by Sri Lanka using a US$450 million loan from China’s EXIM Bank.

Another $891 million will be loaned for the second phase of the project, due to be completed in July 2012.

The Norochcholai power plant seems to be another Chinese fiasco, after the much-hyped $1.4 billion Hambantota port’s depth was found to be insufficient for large ships to enter.

See who benefits from Chinese loans to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile oppostition legislator Harsha de Silva has said the hundred Rupees note, which depicts the power plant should be withdrawn from circulation, reported LBO.

He said in a statement that it was amusing that authorities had "thought it fit to depict this symbol of corruption in the guise of development as our nation’s pride in ‘development and prosperity’."