News
Threat of power crisis looming large – engineer
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Senior officials in the CEB and Ministry of Power were trying to sabotage investigations into the countrywide power outage earlier this month, Senior Engineers Association Spokesman, Eng. Nandika Pathirage said.
Eng. Pathirage, himself a former President of the powerful CEB Engineers’ Union claimed those officials had even been attempting to discourage investigators from proceeding with the probe.
He said that Sri Lanka was on the verge of a power crisis. “We don’t build power plants. In a few months, we will have to purchase emergency power,” Pathirage said.
During the past few months, hydro power plants had been operating at full capacity due to heavy rains. The rains had now stopped, he said.
“The coming months will be dry. It is a good time to generate solar power. However, we have done nothing to expand our solar power infrastructure. In fact, the CEB has thwarted attempts by various governments to boost solar infrastructure,” he said.
Eng. Pathirage said there were enough experts in Sri Lanka who could build renewable energy infrastructure. If wind and solar power infrastructure was built up Sri Lanka could save a lot of foreign currency too, he said.
“There is no need to attract large foreign investors. We can manage with local expertise and we can save a lot of foreign exchange” he said.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Power was not immediately available for comment.
News
President Anura Kumara Disanayake holds discussions with Secretary of the Communist Party of China for Sichuan Province
President Anura Kumara Disanayake, who was on a four-day state visit to China, met with Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the Communist Party of China for Sichuan Province, this morning (17).
Chengdu, one of the happiest cities in China, is the capital of Sichuan Province and a leading city where the blend of cultural heritage and development harmoniously flourishes, offering its residents a high quality of life.
During the discussions, both sides explored the potential to elevate economic, trade, cultural, tourism, and intergovernmental relations between Sichuan and Sri Lanka to new heights. Sichuan’s significant achievements in various sectors, including energy, were acknowledged, and the President invited the Secretary of the Sichuan province to share their expertise and success stories with Sri Lanka.
President Disanayake emphasized that Sri Lanka is currently on a path to economic stabilization under a transparent and investor-friendly administration. He noted that the country is at a critical political turning point, with the current government empowered by a two-thirds majority granted by a united population from the north, east, west, and south. The government is fully committed to meeting the expectations placed upon it by its citizens.
Additionally, the President underscored Sri Lanka’s attractiveness as a destination for Chinese tourists and extended a warm invitation to the people of Sichuan to visit the island and experience its exceptional hospitality.
Joining the discussions were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath and Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake.
[PMD]
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL)’s Director of Communications Jayanath Herath announced that the PUCL has decided to reduce electricity tariffs by an average amount of 20% overall for a six month period with effect from midnight today (17)
Accordingly, tariffs have been reduced by 29% for consumers who consume less than 30 units of electricity in the domestic sector.
The consumers who consume between 31 – 60 units of electricity in the domestic sector will receive a 28% reduction of the tariff.
The consumers who consume between 61 – 90 units of electricity in the domestic sector will receive a 19% reduction of the tariff
The consumers who consume between 91 – 180 units of electricity in the domestic sector will receive a 18% reduction of the tariff
The tariff reduction for Government Institution is 11%, Religious Institutions is 21% , factories is 30% and for hotels is 31%
News
Chief observer of the Election Observation Mission of the European Union (EU) Meets Prime Minister
José Ignacio Sánchez Amor, Chief Observer of the Election Observation Mission of the European Union (EU) and Member of the European Parliament, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday [16th January].
Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka, and the Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka, accompanied Mr. Sánchez Amor. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office also participated in the meeting.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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