News

CEB launches transmission development project for renewable energy with French assistance

Published

2 years ago

2021/03/18

By Ifham Nizam

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) launched the Transmission Development Project for Renewable Energy with the construction of a 50 km transmission line, Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said at the opening of the Nawalapitiya Grid substation yesterday.

A long-term loan of EURO 30 million (nearly Rs. 6,000 million) has been provided by the French Institute of Financial Development for this purpose. Rs. 1,500 million has been allocated by the CEB.

Alhapperuma said that by connecting the Nawalapitiya Grid Substation and the other three grid substations in this project to eco-friendly small hydro power plants, the CEB would be able to add about 100 MW to the generating system within the next few years.

He also stressed that the government had realised the environmental crisis and moved towards a renewable economy.

In addition, the CEB hoped to provide electricity from the Nawalapitiya Grid Substation to about 50,000 families and a large number of industries and to improve the low voltage supply in those areas, he said.

“Today, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s vision of prosperity is a giant leap forward in the journey to make renewable energy sources the driving force of the country,” the Minister said.

He also said “Our goal is to reduce diesel and other fuel use in power generation in the country by 5% by 2025. We are ready to reduce it to 0 per cent by 2030. That is why a Ministry of Renewable Energy was established.”

Minister Alahapperuma also observed that Europe was rapidly moving towards a renewable economy. France was currently exporting electricity.

Renewable goals had embraced the whole of Europe. They used renewable sources not only in electricity generation but also in transportation. In the same way, he said, the environment should be cleansed and the people’s economy should be strengthened on renewable energy in Sri Lanka as well.

French Ambassador Eric Lavertu, Provincial Councilor Weerasinghe Aluthgamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy Wasantha Perera, Chairman of the Electricity Board Vijitha Herath, Deputy Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon and General Manager Kumudini Herath were also present.

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Stay on course and don’t go back to the past – Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy

Published

4 hours ago

2023/03/24

Priyan

Former Governor of the Central Bank delivering the keynote address at a high profile Webinar hosted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (24) said that Sri Lanka must implement the structural reforms proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without relaxing like in the past or else we will be in a deeper economic mess.

The webinar was titled ‘What is next for Sri Lanka in the wake of the IMF programme’

News

Sustainable economic development goals cannot be achieved unless attention is paid to mitigating climate change – Sagala Ratnayake

Published

4 hours ago

2023/03/24

Priyan

President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake said sustainable economic development goals cannot be accomplished without taking steps to mitigate climate change.

He said this while participating in the 10,000 sapling planting program organized by the LEO Youth Vision 2048 Club and the LEO Club at the Royal College, Colombo on Thursday (23rd).

This program was organized in view of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s birthday, which is today (24), and the required plants were distributed to the main schools of the Colombo District.

News

SF claims thousands of police and military personnel leaving

Published

16 hours ago

2023/03/24

Thilina Walpola

By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of police and military personnel had left the services recently as they did not want to carry out illegal orders, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament yesterday. According to the war-winning army commander 200 policemen have resigned during the past two months and 25,000 soldiers have left the army during the last two years.

“We urged the law enforcement and military officials not to follow illegal orders. We will reinstate them with back pay,” he said.

Fonseka also urged the President and the government MPs not to take people for fools.

“Sri Lanka owes 55 billion dollars to the world. Ranil’s plan is to borrow another seven billion during the next four years. So, in four years we will owe 62 billion to the world.

Ranil and his ministers ask us what the alternative to borrowing is. These are the people who destroyed the economy and society. They must leave. Then, we will find an alternative and develop the country,” he said, adding that the IMF loans had made crises in other nations worse.

“Ranil says that by 2025, we will have a budget surplus as in Japan, Germany and South Korea. These countries are economic power houses, and this comparison is ludicrous.”