The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will respond legally to the accusations pertaining to the quality of imported crude oil, Minister of Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said on Monday.
Minister Wijesekera said that the CPC will legally respond to the accusations levelled by the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) in this regard.
In a message on Twitter, the minister said the CPC has adequate stocks of Diesel and Fuel Oil.
“Extended power cuts were requested by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) due to a breakdown at the Lakshapana Hydro Power Station, insufficient funds at the CEB for diesel and fuel oil, and Hydro management,” he added.
The warning comes after PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake revealed that the daily power cuts have been extended as Sri Lankan authorities have imported the wrong type of crude oil.
Speaking during an interview with a local media channel, Janaka Ratnayake said that the newly imported stock of crude oil contains the wrong type of Naphtha liquid.
“The Naphtha in the newly imported stock of crude oil contains a high rate of sulfur which cannot be used for the production of electricity at power plants,” he explained.
Stating that the new stock of crude oil was imported by the CPC, Janaka Ratnayake added they can only drink it up now as it is of no use. (NewsWire)