The Government has made arrangements to expedite work on a new power supply project for the Ratnapura District at a cost of Rs. 4,500 million. Upon completion of the project within 2009, all families in the district will have access to electricity. This project was initiated under the Electricity for All programme launched by the Power and Energy Ministry. Power and Energy Ministry spokesman said the first phase of the project has been successfully completed. The Ministry has spent Rs. 500 million for the first phase and the second phase with another estimated cost of Rs. 500 million will be initiated shortly. Only a 55 per cent to 60 per cent of the total population in the Ratnapura district has access to electricity. The Government launched the Electricity for All to provide electricity to all houses in the country.