News
CEB admits Mannar Wind Power farm not fully connected to national grid
By Ifham Nizam
The Ceylon Electricity Board engineers had failed to supply the much-needed 100MW from the Mannar Wind Power farm to the national grid and were delaying other projects that are in the pipeline in order to go for expensive emergency power purchases, a senior CEB union leader said.
The CEB Technological Engineers’ and Superintendents’ Union President A.G.U. Nishantha told The Island yesterday that the Mannar plant provided only between 20 and 30MW to the national grid.
“We have some 1,000 engineers but they had failed in their focus in getting the much needed supply,” he added.
When contacted, CEB Chief Vijitha Herath told The Island that they did their utmost as predicted by March due to technical issues, however, stressed that by mid-April remaining 70 per cent would be connected to the national grid.
He also said that they would also cut down on Supplementary Power purchases from 128MW requested last year to about 75MW.
Engineer Herath also expressed confidence that despite the dry period, the country’s reservoir water level was manageable.
Nishantha said that hydro catchment levels had dropped to nearly 20 per cent and the CEB had to cover the shortfall with expensive thermal power.
He also charged that projects were being delayed and cheap power plants were being sidelined, a matter that needed to be discussed at length.
Nishantha stressed that eventually to meet the continuing power demand, the Board would be forced go for additional power purchases at a higher cost.
Dismissing rumours, power sector regulator Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) Chief Janaka Rathnayake assured that there wouldn’t be any blackouts or power shedding in the country despite March and April generally being termed as dry months.
PUCSL Chairman told The Island that there was no drought as such and at present water levels in the reservoirs was manageable. The reservoir capacity stood at 850MWh which was much more than in the previous year.
A senior electrical engineer yesterday said that the problems would arise if the rains failed between May and June over catchment areas.
He also said that the supplementary requirement was about 128MW to be taken from those plants that had been providing power as usual and there is no additional request as such despite the growing energy need between five and six per cent.
CEB earlier this month spelled out the need of the supplementary requirement especially after the Covid pandemic wreaked economic havoc worldwide.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya yesterday sad that the Executive Presidency would be abolished, in line with the NPP’s election manifesto.
Speaking in Parliament, in response to a question raised under Standing Order 27/2 by Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, the Prime Minister said the abolition would take place through a proposed new Constitution.
She added that preliminary work on drafting the new Constitution had already begun, with previous committee reports and other proposals being studied to guide the process.
“A concept paper on the draft will be presented to the Cabinet,” Amarasuriya said, noting that a formal study has been initiated on abolishing the Executive Presidency.
She said that the move cannot be implemented without introducing a new Constitution.
Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that the suspension of duties imposed on Dr. Rukshan Bellana, Deputy Director of the National Hospital, amounted to a violation of his fundamental rights.
Raising the issue during parliamentary proceedings, Premadasa, who is also the SJB Leader, questioned the decision to suspend the senior medical officer for issuing a statement to the media, particularly on matters relating to children’s medicines.
He said health was a fundamental right and noted that two children had reportedly died, stressing that the focus should be on accountability over the incident rather than penalising a medical professional for speaking out.
Premadasa criticised the authorities for suspending Dr. Bellana solely for communicating with the media, asking whether such action constituted justice for families who had lost their children.The Opposition Leader said silencing officials, who raise concerns, undermines fundamental rights and does not address the underlying issues related to patient safety and public health.
Acting Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital Dr. Rukshan Bellana has been suspended.
A letter, issued by the Ministry of Health, says preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Health has revealed that Dr. Bellana, as a government medical officer holding a responsible position, made statements to the media, without approval, in a manner that created a controversial situation in the country and unrest among the public.
The letter further stated that formal disciplinary action will be taken in due course regarding this matter.
PM says govt. will introduce a new Constitution to abolish executive presidency
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Dr. Bellana suspended for speaking to media
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