News
Sobhadanavi LNG plant construction limps; CEB to lose billions from next year
By Ifham Nizam
The Ceylon Electricity Board would lose more than Rs. 100 billion from next year due to the delay in the construction of 350 MW Sobhadanavi Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant at Kerawalapitiya that was expected to add 200 MW to the national grid this year.
However, non-availability of funds would bring the construction work to a halt at a time where such plant was the much needed, an energy expert and well informed official yesterday said.
A senior Electrical Engineer told The Island yesterday that the slow pace of construction was due to funding delays despite generators and turbines had been already imported to the country from a German company at a cost of nearly USD 70 million.
He said that the CEB at this juncture was not in a position to lose 2,000 million Gwh, a unit at Rs. 55 as otherwise emergency purchase of electricity would cost it more than Rs. 100 per unit.
“This will force CEB to go for another annual price hike,” the engineer stressed.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, CEB Chairman Nalinda Illgakoon and CEB General Manager Eng. Rohan Seneviratne have assured that with the proposed new tariff hike they will put an end power cuts.
The construction of this power plant is a long overdue project and if the power plant had been built on time, the power crisis that the country is facing today would not have occurred.
Construction work of the power plant commenced under the present government. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2023 and 200 MW is planned to be added to the national grid. All designs and constructions of this power plant are carried out by Sri Lankan engineers.
A combined search operation carried out by the Northern Naval Command with the assistance of Marudankerni Police on Monday (27) in Waththiyaran Jaffna, led to the recovery of over 34kg of Kerala cannabis buried in a garden and the arrest of one person suspected to be involved in the incident.
The gross street value of this stock of Kerala cannabis is believed to be over Rs. 13 million.
State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe yesterday (28) said that investigations were still continuing into the alleged disappearance of Rs. 5 million from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
The State Minister stated that the CBSL initiated an internal investigation into the matter, while the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), too, initiated a separate probe.
In April this year the Fort Police was ordered to investigate the theft of Rs. 5 million from a safe at the Central Bank, to arrest the suspects involved, and produce them in court.
This order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala on April 17, 2023.
The State Minister made these remarks in response to a question raised by MP Niroshan Perera in the House.
He assured that upon completion of the relevant investigations, a full report on the matter will disclose all findings, along with those responsible for it.
Semasinghe also revealed that a discussion had taken place between the CBSL and the Inspector General of Police on investigations. (SI)
The Department of Immigration and Emigration announced on Tuesday (28) that the visa fee has been waived for residents of China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan visiting Sri Lanka, with immediate effect.
In a statement, the Department said that this scheme is valid until March 31, 2024, and that this is a pilot programme to rebuild the tourism industry.
Residents of the above-nominated countries possessing diplomatic, official, public affairs, service, and ordinary passports are eligible for this scheme.
Visitors from these countries first need to apply for a free Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka, the Department said.
Under this scheme, tourists can enjoy a 30-day visa, and a double entry facility too is permitted from the date of first arrival to Sri Lanka within 30 days, the statement said.
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