News
Energy expert warns CEB taking country for a ride through creative accounting
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Ensuring control over the country’s energy supply requirements was vital for its energy security and for a country like Sri Lanka that could come only by increasing the use of renewable energy, Engineer Parakrama Jayasinghe, former president of Bioenergy Association of Sri Lanka, told The Island.
Jayasinghe said that depending on coal or petroleum was not feasible for the country in the face of fluctuating prices of those commodities and the continuous devaluation of the rupee to the dollar, he said.
He said: “Unfortunately, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) doesn’t take these factors into consideration when taking decisions on the energy mix. They are set on coal and use creative accounting to show that coal is a cheap source of energy. A number of CEB and Ministry officials had claimed that they could produce a unit of electricity for about Rs. 7 to 8. They had done so by keeping the exchange rate at a constant, sometimes at around Rs. 150 per USD and setting the coal prices at around USD 50 per ton, which was the price when coal hit an all-time low last year.”
Jayasinghe said that renewable power such as wind and solar were pegged to the rupee and the money generated in this sector remained within the country. It is estimated that around 380 grams of coal is needed to produce a unit of electricity. This gives the coal cost per generation at Rs 9.12. When we add the diesel cost, the fuel cost per unit alone comes to about Rs. 9.90 per unit. With other costs of the plant (except financing) the unit cost reaches about Rs. 14.50.
Jayasinghe said: “Independent energy experts claim that a unit of energy created by the proposed new coal plants will be around Rs. 20. Soar and wind power is much cheaper. So, the claim that coal is the cheapest source of energy is simply wrong.”
Recently, independent energy expert, Vidura Ralapanawe said that the recovery of coal prices in the world market coupled with the decline in the value of the rupee would result in the cost of electricity generation increasing rapidly in Sri Lanka, especially with Norochcholai coal fired power plants accounting for the bulk of power produced in the country. He added that the recovery of coal prices, as demand picked up meant that calculations made by a number of energy sector decision makers as regards the cost of electricity in the future would be incorrect. “Coal cost has risen to USD 90 + FOB. With freight, insurance, VAT and lightering, the total cost of coal received by the plant is USD 120 per ton,” Ralapanawe said.
… Prez Secretariat faulted for not maintaining asset declaration registry
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided against refiling 34 cases that were withdrawn during the 2019-2024 period.
The 34 cases are among 102 cases withdrawn during that period, the CIABOC has disclosed, adding that 65 cases had been refiled. Decisions on three others are pending according to statistics made available on 01 March 2025.
The CIABOC provided a breakdown of the withdrawal of cases: 2019 (5), 2020 (0), 2021 (44), 2022 (49), 2023 (02) and 2024 (2).
The current CIABOC consists of Justice W. M. N. P. Iddawala (Chairman/Commissioner), K. B. Rajapakse (Commissioner) and Chethiya Goonesekera P.C (Commissioner). Its Director General is R. S. A. Dissanayake.
According to the CIABOC the majority of cases were withdrawn due to the absence of the signatures of all commissioners who served during 2019-2024.
Among the cases dropped by the CIABOC were four involving former Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando. The CIABOC found fault with the Presidential Secretariat (PS) for the collapse of the cases due to the failure on the part of the PS to maintain a proper asset declaration registry at that time. The charge against the then Minister Fernando was the non-disclosure of assets and liabilities during the 2010-2014 period.
Fernando contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket but failed to retain his seat in Kurunegala District.The CIABOC has also decided against refiling the case against MP Rohitha
Abeygunawardena (New Democratic Front/Kalutara District) as the corruption charges pertained to acquisition of illegal assets amounting to Rs. 41.2 mn in 2004 and due to their failure to move court within 20 years.
The CIABOC also disclosed that the case against one-time Chairman of National Lotteries Board A.I. Ismail (2002-2003) charged for wrongful payment of Rs 9.8 mn to a private party had been dropped due to main witnesses former prisons Commissioner G.M.K. Bandara and former Director Public Enterprises K.M. Indrajith having migrated.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Election Commission yesterday announced a revision to the postal voting schedule for the upcoming Local Government Elections, which are set to take place on May 6.According to the updated timetable, postal voting would now be conducted on April 24, 25, 28, and 29, Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said yesterday.
“All government institutions, including the police, tri-forces, schools, corporations, and statutory
boards, will conduct postal voting on these four days,” Rathnayake said, adding that employees of those institutions can mark their postal ballots at their respective offices without any change to the existing arrangements.
A special postal voting centre will be set up at Kandy Girls’ High School to facilitate voting by police personnel on duty at the Sri Dalada Maligawa during the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Arrangements have been made for tri-forces personnel to cast their postal votes under the supervision of designated certifying officers at their respective camps during the same four-day period.
In preparation for the elections, official ballot papers for all eligible postal voters across the 339 local government bodies were handed over to the Postal Department by Returning Officers on April 16. Distribution has already begun and will continue until April 29.
The Election Commission advises any postal voter who has not received their ballot by April 29 to make inquiries at their respective post offices.
The revised schedule replaces an earlier announcement made on March 27, which had designated April 22, 23, and 24 for postal voting at district secretariats and election offices, with April 28 and 29 set aside for those unable to vote on the initial dates.
With the latest changes, April 24, 25, 28, and 29 are now the official postal voting dates for the 2025 Local Government Elections.
A total of 18 candidates and 62 supporters have been taken into custody across the country in connection with criminal complaints related to the impending local government elections by yesterday morning (17).
A total of 38 criminal complaints related to the election and 138 complaints regarding violations of election laws have been lodged with police stations in different parts of the country.
According to the Police Media Division, on 16 Jan., two criminal complaints related to the election and six complaints regarding election law violations were received.
By Chaminda Silva
Hamas formally rejects Israeli ceasefire offer
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