News
Engineers: Power supply not sufficient to meet demand
By Ifham Nizam
Despite the addition of 300MW the third unit of the Norochcholai Power Plant Complex (altogether 900MW) has supplied to the national grid, the Ceylon Electricity Board Generation Division says the amount is not sufficient to meet the shortfall in the supply of electricity.
The CEB engineers say 300MW will have to be purchased from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
An official said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had stressed that the CEB must not go for long term emergency purchases from the private sector. However, he has not opposed purchasing from the IPPs.
CEB Additional General Manager cum Media Spokesman Andrew Navamani told The Island they were expecting 10,000MT or 10 million litres diesel for the Kelanistissa Power Plant Complex.
Minister of Power Gamini Lokuge earlier instructed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) outgoing Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando to negotiate with private power plants to obtain 300MW.
He told The Island that consumers did not need to fear as they would do their utmost to supply power continuously.
From the Framefive machine at Kelanitissa Power Plant Complex CEB would utilise 18MW by today. This would be chiefly used to cover up partly the peak demand between 6.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.
Minister Lokuge also said that CEB was planning to directly purchase fuel through the Indian Oil Company (IOC) within this week.
He said a decision had already been taken regarding the fuel required by the CEB for next week.
Delays in securing the required diesel and furnace oil from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) forced the CEB to shut down several thermal power plants leading to power cuts.
According to Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma CEB might be able to import the required fuel under the USD 500 million fuel credit line granted by India.
He also said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had directed the Central Bank and the Treasury to provide USD 50 million to release two oil shipments anchored off Port of Colombo.
President also had ordered the Treasury to intervene to settle the Rs.93 billion arrears owed by CEB to CPC.
These outstanding payments would be settled in stages with Treasury support.
The CEB has been incurring losses since last September with the end of the rainy season, as the utility provides electricity on a heavily subsidised rates to the consumer.
The Island learns that there are Rs.50 billion worth electricity bills in arrears at both CEB and LECO.
Unlike other institutions, CEB and LECO had given their customers time to settle the payments on an installment basis.
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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