Friday Nov 22, 2024
Friday Nov 22, 2024
Thursday, 9 June 2022 03:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union has decided to launch an indefinite strike from yesterday midnight based on four demands including the immediate withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the CEB Act.
The four demands include; 1) to withdraw proposed amendments to the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009 (as amended by the Act No. 31 of 2013) Gazetted on 29 April with immediate effect, 2) to stop handing over the country’s wind and solar resources to Adani Group (paying in dollars) without following the competitive bidding process, 3) to stop driving CEB to privatisation in the guise of reforming and 4) to appoint a suitable professional with unblemished character to the post of Chairman without further delay.
Despite the vehement opposition from the CEBEU to the amendments proposed, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera is scheduled to present the amendments in Parliament today, which will pave the way for the swift approval and implementation of long-delayed renewable power projects.
The CEBEU claims proposed amendments to the Act without having proper and adequate consultations with all relevant stakeholders, are aimed to abolish entirely the competitive bidding process for procurement of electricity from the private sector.
“It is clear that parties with vested interests want these amendments implemented to entertain unsolicited proposals such as New Fortress Energy and Adani Group, to gain immense undue financial benefits,” the CEBEU said.
They also claimed that arrangements are being made at a rapid pace to gift the most prolific wind energy belt in the country in Mannar and Pooneryn to Adani Group, an Indian-based private company for a 500 MW wind power plant through an unsolicited proposal.
“The offered unit price of $ 7.55 is almost double the current market rates and the payment will have to be made in dollar denominations, amidst severe forex crisis faced by the country, even though local investors have offered an attractive lesser price which could be paid in rupee equivalent,” CEBEU pointed out.
Minister Wijesekara said the renewable power projects as a vital component for the development of the power generation as well as for the economy. He charged the CEB Unions’ for sabotaging the implementation of several renewable energy projects, which will pave the way for low-cost power generation and also ensure uninterrupted power supply for the public.
Minister Wijesekera has also tabled the Committee report on the findings of the blackouts reported on 29 November and 3 December last year. As per the findings, he said the Committee has indicated that it does not have evidence to rule out pre-planned human interference and therefore has recommended investigating the incidents with the support of IT professionals.
