Dr.Nishantha Nanayakkara being an academic at the Moratuwa University of Sri Lanka attached to the Electrical Department found the necessity of inputs to society soon after he came back to Sri Lanka in 1995 after finishing all his post-graduate studies. 1996/97 had been the worst era of the electricity sector in Sri Lanka with 10-15 hours of power cuts, 16% distribution losses, and also 40% of the population didn’t have access to the national grid. Dr.Nanayakkara was an academic and a person who produce Electrical Engineers has found a great need for his service.
At that time the World Bank has introduced a credit line called Energy Services Project [ESD Project] for solar home systems, village hydropower, and grid-connected mini-hydropower. This ESD Project is more than a credit line but capacity building, national policy-making, and the use of best practice models in the world. This integrated project was managed by a specially set up unit in DFCC Bank headed by Mr. Jayantha Nagendran. This ESD Project showed new ways to ENCO and HPI while arranging the opportunity to Dr. Nanayakkara to become a Social Entrepreneur with his technical background.
Accordingly, we could complete 16 community-based village hydro projects under World Bank-funded ESD/RERED schemes, and bridging finance from Japanese NGOs (ROTARY-D2700, TPA-Saga, ARTIC-Kumamoto). Out of 16 projects developed by us, Six village hydropower projects were funded by Rotary International, D -2700 of Japan with the association of Rotary Club of Colombo East in Sri Lanka (D300). All these projects are operating successfully, electrifying more than 1,000 households.
| Project Name | Commenced In | Number of Households | Number of Employed | Number of People Benefited | District | Capacity | Approx. Cost LKR | Funded By |
| Gedarawatta | Nov 1998 | 40 | 56 | 205 | Kegalle | 12 kW | 1.2 Mn | ESD |
| Kambili Oya | Nov 1999 | 63 | 82 | 315 | Kegalle | 22 kW | 1.7 Mn | ESD |
| Kethigana Ella | Nov 1999 | 28 | 31 | 150 | Kegalle | 7.5 kW | 2.2 Mn | ESD |
| Veediyawatta | Nov 2000 | 125 | 95 | 625 | Kegalle | 45 kW | 3.2 Mn | ESD |
| Tantrikanda | May 2001 | 50 | 69 | 250 | Kegalle | 7.5 kW | 1.1 Mn | ESD |
| Magala-Perupalla | Nov 2000 | 60 | 48 | 300 | Kegalle | 22 kW | 4.1 Mn | RERED |
| Kudawa | Jan 2002 | 175 | 135 | 875 | Ratnapura | 55 kW | 4.2 Mn | RERED |
| Raththurugala | Feb 2003 | 70 | 95 | 295 | Ratnapura | 40 kW | 4 Mn | RERED |
| Gollahinna North | Feb 2002 | 22 | 26 | 129 | Kegalle | 7.5 kW | 1.2 Mn | RERED |
| Wewelwatta | Sep 2004 | 54 | 23 | 190 | Ratnapura | 22 kW | 3.5 Mn | RERED |
| Poddana | Dec 2004 | 75 | 36 | 375 | Ratnapura | 18 kW | 2.5 Mn | RERED |
| Wadiyawatta | Jan 2005 | 50 | 12 | 235 | Ratnapura | 7.5 kW | 1.8 Mn | RERED |
| Kurugama | Jan 2004 | 60 | 24 | 300 | Monaragala | 20 kW | 4 Mn | RERED |
| Humbaswalana | Jul 2006 | 45 | 15 | 215 | Kegalle | 12 kW | 2.5 Mn | ESD |
| Amunumulla | Jul 2005 | 52 | 20 | 270 | Ratnapura | 15 kW | 2 Mn | RERED |
| Imewatta | May 2005 | 40 | 18 | 190 | Kegalle | 7.5 kW | 2.5 Mn | RERED |
Gedarawatta Village Hydropower Project – 12 kW
Kambili OyaVillage Hydropower Project – 22 kW
Kethigana EllaVillage Hydropower Project – 7.5 kW
VeediyawattaVillage Hydropower Project – 45 kW
Tantrikanda Village Hydropower Project – 7.5 kW
Magala-Perupalla Village Hydropower Project – 22 kW
Kudawa Village Hydropower Project – 55 kW
Raththurugala Village Hydropower Project – 40 kW
Wewelwatta Village Hydropower Project – 22 kW
Poddana Village Hydropower Project – 18 kW
Kurugama Village Hydropower Project – 20 kW
Humbaswalana Village Hydropower Project – 12 kW
Amunumulla Village Hydropower Project – 15 kW
Imewatta Village Hydropower Project – 7.5 kW
