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Solar industry warns of crisis amid power curtailment

Published

8 months ago

2026/01/25

President of the Grid Connected Solar Power Association of Sri Lanka Prabath Wickramasinghe and other office bearers Mahinda Senarath, Sudath Chandana, Kushan Jayasooriya and Akthar Afzal addressing media in Colombo

President of the Grid Connected Solar Power Association of Sri Lanka (GCSPASL), Prabath Wickramasinghe, said the national grid is losing nearly four million units of electricity per day due to the continued curtailment of grid-connected solar power plants.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo last week, Wickramasinghe warned that Sri Lanka’s renewable energy sector is facing a deepening crisis as prolonged power curtailment threatens the viability of local solar developers. Industry representatives cautioned that continued uncertainty could lead to widespread financial losses and the eventual collapse of the sector.

He noted that local solar developers currently supply approximately 1,800 MW of clean energy to the national grid. However, the Association said that for more than nine months since February 2025, power generation from large renewable energy plants has been curtailed on weekends and public holidays. While the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has described the measure as an “emergency,” industry stakeholders argue that a recurring practice over several months cannot reasonably be classified as such.

According to Wickramasinghe, the curtailment has reduced monthly revenues of ground-mounted solar power plant owners by around 15 percent, severely disrupting cash flows. He stressed that these plants operate under “Must Run” status as specified in their Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and that curtailment therefore constitutes a breach of contractual obligations.

The Association also highlighted delays in the implementation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), despite developers expressing readiness to invest in storage facilities to absorb excess daytime solar generation and supply power during night-time peak demand. Although the Cabinet approved a tariff of Rs. 45.80 per unit in June 2025 and granted tax concessions in September, the CEB has yet to issue implementation guidelines or amend PPAs, despite directives from the Ministry of Power. As a result, the country continues to rely on expensive diesel-based power generation, placing further pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

Concerns were also raised over the proposed National Electricity Policy (2025). The Association warned that the planned removal of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) mechanism—under which 92 percent of projects below 10 MW currently operate—would marginalise small and medium-scale local developers. The proposed shift to fully competitive bidding, curtailment without compensation, and rupee-denominated contracts were cited as increasing financial and exchange rate risks for investors.

The Association cautioned that these policy changes could lead to a rise in non-performing loans in the banking sector, as many renewable energy projects are financed through local banks and are now struggling to meet repayment obligations.

Calling for urgent government intervention, the Association urged authorities to immediately issue BESS-related guidelines, compensate developers for past losses, and retain the FIT system. Industry leaders stressed that private sector participation is essential to achieving Sri Lanka’s renewable energy targets by 2030, warning that continued delays could have long-term consequences for the economy and national energy security.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.