NDF MP Ravi Karunanayake yesterday called for a detailed explanation of the nationwide power failure on October 17, including the cause of the breakdown, accountability for the failure and measures to prevent a recurrence.

Raising the matter in Parliament, under Standing Order 27.2, Karunanayake questioned Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on the circumstances that led to the blackout, which followed a similar islandwide outage on February 9, 2025.

Karunanayake asked the government to disclose the initiating fault, its location and time, and explain what occurred at Kotmale, what precautions were taken and how the incident led to the collapse of the national grid.

He also sought the tabling of time-stamped records relating to electricity generation, demand, frequency, voltage and protection systems, and questioned why safeguards had failed to contain the disturbance.

Referring to the National System Operator’s statement that no generating plant had broken down, Karunanayake asked whether the shutdown of the Norochcholai Power Plant was a cause or consequence of the blackout. He also sought operational records and independent coal-quality tests to address allegations concerning substandard coal.

He questioned the Government on the implementation of recommendations and regulatory directions issued following the February 2025 blackout and asked which measures remained outstanding and why.

Karunanayake also sought details of the time taken to reconnect transmission substations and consumers, the reasons for repeated interruptions in some areas and measures taken to protect hospitals, water treatment facilities and telecommunications services.

He asked for details of solar power generation, total electricity demand and available reserves before the collapse, and questioned why rooftop solar systems had been disconnected.

The MP also raised concerns over renewable energy tariffs and compensation payable to renewable power producers for curtailment under a September 10, 2026 decision of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).

He asked the government to disclose the energy volumes and compensation payments due, paid and outstanding, and when arrears would be settled.

Karunanayake further called for enforceable service standards and a compensation mechanism for consumers affected by power interruptions, voltage surges and damage to electrical equipment.

He sought separate estimates of the losses incurred by the National System Operator and consumers as a result of the October 17 and February 9 blackouts, together with the methodologies used to calculate them.

He also asked for details of grid-connected battery energy storage systems (BESS), including their locations, commissioning dates and MW/MWh capacities, and how they had addressed deficiencies in firm generation.

Finally, Karunanayake called for the Government to table a time-bound corrective programme identifying the institutions responsible, funding requirements and measurable targets, and to report progress to Parliament.

The Pathfinder Foundation hosted a programme, under the Australia Awards Fellowship 2026, themed “Enabling a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Bay of Bengal,” which brought together maritime professionals, researchers, academics and policymakers from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka to exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for regional cooperation.

Funded by the Australian Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the fellowship is coordinated by the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) at the University of Wollongong, in collaboration with the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) in India, the Bangladesh Institute of Maritime Research and Development (BIMRAD), and the Pathfinder Foundation in Sri Lanka. The programme brings together 15 fellows, with five participants from each country.

The programme opened with welcome remarks from Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation, followed by opening remarks from Professor Michelle Voyer, Australian Research Council Future Fellow at ANCORS, University of Wollongong.

Matthew Duckworth, Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, delivered a special address as Chief Guest of the event, while Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage, Distinguished Fellow of the Pathfinder Foundation, delivered the keynote address. Milinda Moragoda, founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, graced the occasion and discussed opportunities for future collaboration with the University of Wollongong with Prof. Voyer.

A panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Dayaratna Silva, Executive Director of the Pathfinder Foundation, featured presentations from Australia Award recipients from Sri Lanka, including Dr. Anna W. Karunatilleke, Marine Consultant at Maritime Vista (Pvt) Ltd; Ms. B.K.I.R. Kumarihamy, Doctoral Student and Research Fellow at the Pathfinder Foundation; Mrs. Ganga Wakishta Arachchi, Deputy Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department; Ms. Hiruni Ariyarathna, Programme Executive at the Pathfinder Foundation; and Ms. Mandakini Aththanayake, Lecturer at the Politics and International Relations Unit, Department of Social Studies, The Open University of Sri Lanka. The session was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session.

Following the first phase, held in Australia, in February 2026, the programme’s second phase commenced in October 2026, with in-country engagements in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. The Pathfinder Foundation hosted the Sri Lankan in-country visit from 19 to 21 October 2026, providing a platform for fellows to present their project findings, share research outcomes, and explore their implications for policy, institutional practices and regional collaboration.

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.