News

Battery storage drive to power Sri Lanka’s renewable leap

Published

8 months ago

2026/02/18

Sri Lanka is poised for a decisive breakthrough in its clean energy transition with the government moving to introduce large-scale battery energy storage for the first time in the country’s history — a development that could fundamentally transform how electricity is generated, managed and consumed.

Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody told Parliament of Sri Lanka that a 160-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) will be constructed within the next six months, marking the single biggest technological leap yet in Sri Lanka’s power sector.

In parallel, tenders will soon be called for a further 300 MW battery storage facility, signalling the government’s intention to embed energy storage at the core of future power planning.

The announcement was made in response to a question raised by MP Suranga Ratnayake, with the Minister underlining that battery storage is no longer optional but a strategic necessity if Sri Lanka is to fully capitalise on its rapidly expanding renewable energy capacity.

“We are strengthening the transmission network while taking the initial steps to integrate battery storage systems alongside future solar power plants on selected lands,” Minister Jayakody said. “Our objective is to ensure that renewable energy can be absorbed into the national grid without instability or wastage.”

Energy sector analysts have long warned that Sri Lanka’s grid is structurally ill-equipped to handle the variability of solar and wind power. While renewable generation has grown steadily, large volumes of clean electricity are often curtailed during peak production hours due to the lack of storage and limited grid flexibility. The result has been a paradox where green energy exists, but cannot always be used.

The introduction of battery energy storage systems is expected to change that equation. By storing surplus electricity and releasing it during peak demand or low generation periods, batteries effectively convert intermittent renewables into stable, dispatchable power. This, in turn, reduces reliance on expensive thermal plants, lowers fuel imports, and enhances overall grid resilience.

Minister Jayakody said the new systems would also play a critical role in reducing the risk of power disruptions and in cutting long-term electricity costs. “Without storage, we are forced to fall back on fossil fuels even when renewable energy is available. Battery systems allow us to break that dependency and move towards a truly modern power system,” he said.

The move represents a clear shift in national energy policy — from merely adding renewable capacity to building an intelligent, future-ready power infrastructure. Integrating storage with solar parks and strengthening transmission lines are expected to unlock large-scale private sector investment, improve energy security, and align Sri Lanka more closely with global decarbonisation trends.

For a country grappling with high energy costs, foreign exchange pressures and climate vulnerability, the battery storage initiative is being seen not just as a technological upgrade, but as a strategic intervention with economic, environmental and geopolitical implications.

By Ifham Nizam

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

Published

4 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

4 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

4 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.