Monday Jan 06, 2025
Monday Jan 06, 2025
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Energy Minister Eng. Kumara Jayakody |
The Government is prioritising energy sector reform with a focus on reducing the country’s notoriously high energy costs and expanding renewable energy capacity.
Energy Minister Eng. Kumara Jayakody underscored these ambitions during a meeting with investors recently at the Ministry where progress and challenges related to medium and large scale renewable energy projects were discussed.
“We are a country with the highest energy costs in the region and the Government’s aim is to change that situation and provide energy at a reasonable price that can be afforded,” the Minister outlined.
He asserted the critical role of affordable energy in driving national development, noting that renewable energy presents significant opportunities.
“We are giving the private sector ample opportunity to invest in energy generation. We are working to follow a win-win approach that is fair to both the Government and investors,” he said pledging prompt solutions to investor concerns.
The meeting brought together representatives from renewable energy institutions that highlighted a range of challenges from regulatory hurdles to operational delays. Despite these issues, optimism was high as projects currently under the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) are expected to add over 500 MW to the national grid within the next two years.
Acknowledging the potential of these projects, Minister Jayakody directed Government officials to expedite policy decisions and collaborate across institutions to resolve bottlenecks.
“As Government that understands the values and expectations of investors, we are working to achieve the country’s energy goals by providing prompt solutions to their problems,” he stressed.
