Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Friday alleged that eight recently imported coal shipments were of substandard quality and called for an independent investigation into the matter.
Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa said the country typically requires between 36 and 38 coal shipments annually and that 11 Russian shipments received so far had not raised concerns. However, he claimed that 25 vessels ordered from South Africa under a new tender were facing quality issues.
Premadasa said combustion reports from the Norochcholai coal power plant indicated that the eight ships already received under the new tender had failed to generate the expected 300 megawatts per unit.
He presented figures in Parliament, stating that the first shipment generated 285 megawatts, the second 290 megawatts, the third 260 megawatts, the fourth 295 megawatts, the fifth 285 megawatts, the sixth 270 megawatts, the seventh 275 megawatts and the eighth 255 megawatts.
“These are scientific data generated automatically through boiler combustion reports that cannot be altered,” Premadasa said, arguing that the performance levels suggest the coal supplied was below required standards.
He warned that the use of low-quality coal could result in higher fuel consumption, increased operational costs and potential damage to equipment. He further claimed that any shortfall in power generation would lead to additional coal imports or increased reliance on diesel power, ultimately raising electricity tariffs for consumers.
“The loss will have to be borne by the electricity consumer,” he said, adding that the government must clarify whether the shipments met required standards.
Premadasa also criticized what he described as delays and changes in tender specifications, alleging that supplier eligibility requirements had been relaxed. (Newswire)
