Mannar Trip (2025 March 15) part 6/8 – Thambapawani Wind Farm

 On our 2025 Mannar trip we went to see the ‘Thambapawani” wind farm, on an invitation from Chamitha who happens to be attached to the CEB. The Thambapavani Wind Farm formerly called as the ‘Mannar Island Wind Farm’ is a 100-megawatt wind farm built on the southern coast of the Mannar Island. An officer there explained us about the features of the power plant, especially its ‘bird safety mechanism’. We were impressed how big the turbine blades actually were, although they seemed small when seen from far.

Opened by the then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 8th December 2020, the Thambapavani wind farm is said to be a part of a larger 300-megawatt mixed-ownership wind power development plan on the Mannar Island. Though how much ‘bird friendly’ these power plants are claimed to be, over-crowding the Mannar Island with such windmills worries the Sri Lankan bird lovers that they could discourage the thousands of migrant birds annually entering into the country through Mannar, especially the Flamingos.