CEB Chairman says New Fortress deal beneficial

By Ifham Nizam

Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Chairman M. M.C. Ferdinando yesterday assured that the picketing campaign or the trade union action would not lead to blackouts.

Speaking to journalists via WebEx organised by the President’s Media Centre, Ferdinando however warned that if the CEB failed everything would fall.

He claimed that the ongoing campaign was based on personal issues of a few engineers.

The CEB Chairman said that the agreement with the New Fortress had been signed on 17 September. “These are commercial deals. If they go to the wrong hands that could be misused and would lead to a number of other issues,” he added.

He also said that CEB trade unions had not informed them that they would refrain from restoring power in the event breakdowns.

The CEB workers’ are protesting against a government’s decision to transfer 40 percent of shares of the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya to US-based company New Fortress Energy along with a number of other contracts, including one to supply LNG.

The CEB Chief said the matter was a political decision and the CEB had no say in it, but benefits would accrue from the deal.

Ferdinando said the CEB would gain full control of the power plant in 2035 at no extra cost.