News
CEB thermal power plants being shut for want of fuel
Sapugaskanda refinery to be closed again
By Ifham Nizam
Four turbines of the Sapugaskanda 72 MW power station A ceased to function due to a shortage of fuel yesterday. However, temporary measures were taken to run the power station B instead.
A senior management official of the Power Ministry said that Barge Mounted Power Plant at the Colombo Port too had failed to function due to a fuel shortage.
Plans are underway to go for emergency power purchases during the next six months, senior management of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said.
The Island learns that Power Minister Gamini Lokuge and Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera had lengthy discussions on the issue, but CEB Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando was not present.
CEB General Manager M.R. Ranatunga, contacted for comment, told The Island that coal stocks would be sufficient till September.
Fuel stocks are available only up till 10 January.
Ranatungha said the good news was that the demand had not increased unlike in the previous year, and the furnace fuel stock was sufficient until 24 January.
He said that if the CEB could not provide funds to make payments to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, it would face a serious issue where thermal power generation was concerned.
Over the past few weeks, the CEB had also battled with several breakdowns.
A senior official stressed that it would take around 45 days for oil tankers to arrive here. “Emergency power suppliers can generate electricity for a day or two with the available feul stocks, but beyond that the situation will become precarious” he added.
The CPC has increased the fuel prices –Heavy fuel from Rs. 70 to Rs. 110 and Nepatha from Rs. 74 to Rs. 84.
Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila yesterday said that the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery would be temporarily closed from 03 January, 2022, due to the shortage of foreign exchange to purchase crude oil.
Although the refinery is expected to resume its operations before 30 January, 2022, but 22222222222some claimed that it would take more time.
The Singapore-based energy and commodities company which was awarded the long-term contract to provide crude oil here is slated to commence supplying petroleum from 26 January, the Energy Ministry said.
During the procurement process, the relevant company should be informed 90 days in advance to purchase Murban Crude Oil used at Sapugaskanda refinery, the ministry explained.
It added that the shortage of foreign exchange had hampered the plan to buy alternative crude oil for emergency use.
Therefore, purchasing crude oil on credit had become difficult as Sri Lanka’s credit ratings were falling, a ministry official pointed out.
He, however, said there would not be a fuel shortage due to the refinery’s temporary closure, as it met only 14% of petrol and 29% of diesel requirements of the country.
The announcement came a month after Sri Lanka temporarily halted the operations at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery on 15 November in a bid to save foreign exchange.
However, the CPC has made it clear to the CEB that it cannot provide fuel on credit any further.
Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe said that the CEB was expected to pay Rs. 91 Billion to the CPC within two years.
Representatives from the ’The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’ met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Wednesday [24th of June] at the Parliament premises.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), which is scheduled to be held on 12 and 13 October 2026. Attention was also given to digitalization initiatives, the introduction of digital technologies in schools under new education reforms, and the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sri Lanka’s education sector.
Representatives of the Chamber noted that the summit would serve as an important platform for encouraging both local and foreign investment, while also contributing to the shaping of the country’s future economic policies.
The meeting was attended by Krishan Balendra, Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; Vinod Hirdaramani, Deputy Vice Chairman; Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer; Aliki Perera, Deputy Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer; and Anagi Rodrigo-Weerasekera, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Intelligence, along with several other representatives.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
A discussion to review the progress of the housing project under which 4,700 houses are being constructed for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabath Chandrakeerthi.
Under this housing programme, 2,026 houses are to be provided to families identified by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) as being at disaster risk. The remaining houses are expected to be allocated to eligible workers residing in the plantation sector.
Accordingly, the houses will be provided to Malayagam community families living on estates belonging to 22 Regional Plantation Companies, as well as estates under the State Plantations Corporation, Janawasama and Elkaduwa Plantations.
For the construction of each house, the Government of India has allocated Rs. 2.8 million, while the Government of Sri Lanka has contributed Rs. 400,000.
During the discussion, Chandrakeerthi instructed officials to ensure that the housing project is completed before the end of this year. He further directed that land identified for the construction of houses be released without delay and that the National Building Research Institute provide the necessary reports to identify suitable land for the project.
The housing project is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation and the Plantation Human Development Trust.
Among those present were Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, K. S. Wijayakeerthi; Director General (Engineering), N. D. N. Pushpakumara; Director General (Planning), W. A. K. S. Damayanthi; the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association; and officials from the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation, relevant institutions and plantation companies.
(PMD)
It has been reported that Attorney at Law Rakitha Rajapakshe, the son of former Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over alleged links with the underworld.
Representatives from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce meet PM
Progress of Housing Project for Malayagam Community families funded by India reviewed
South Africa stun South Korea to reach World Cup knockouts for the first time
Tremors of 7.5, 7.2 kill 32, injure hundreds in Venezuela
Former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s son arrested by CIABOC
Morocco come back after historic Haiti goals to reach World Cup last 32
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoCreditor receives USD 2.5 mn as Lankan public bears loss from theft of Treasury funds
-
News5 days agoCreditor not yet paid
-
News5 days agoConsumers bearing 22% tax burden despite 18% VAT claim: Dr. Harsha de Silva
-
Features4 days agoNanda Pethiyagoda Wanasundara as three generations of family saw her
-
Features3 days agoSri Lanka developing independent hydrographic capabilities
-
Opinion6 days agoSriLankan Airbus struck by lightning
-
Editorial4 days agoFuel crisis: Beyond price debate
-
Latest News4 days agoSooryavanshi thumps fastest List A fifty as India A win tri-series