Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised serious concerns over the Government’s importation of substandard coal, warning that it has led to inefficient electricity generation, increased equipment damage, and mounting financial losses for the country and its people.
In a video message, Premadasa said that with the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya party revealing information about the importation of substandard coal to our country, the responsible parties in the Government are now admitting before the public that this coal is of poor quality.
He further said that the use of such coal has made electricity generation inefficient, and the tendency for equipment damage has increased.
The amount of ash produced has doubled, rising from the required 11–15% to over 21%. Even the disposal of this ash causes environmental harm, the Opposition Leader said.
He went on to note that within the next 2–3 months, another 15–16 coal ships are expected to arrive. Since good-quality coal is not being imported, and substandard coal is being used, the megawatt output has decreased.
To cover this shortfall, electricity has to be generated from fuel power plants, causing financial losses to the country, the Government, the people, and electricity consumers, he said.
Premadasa emphasized that under Section 30 of the 2009 Electricity Act, charges can only be levied from consumers through efficient electricity generation. Therefore, the Public Utilities Commission must safeguard the rights of electricity consumers.
He stressed that the massive financial loss caused by inefficient generation due to substandard coal cannot be charged from the country’s 7.5 million electricity consumers.
Premadasa pointed out that the Government’s so-called “change in system” has, in fact, resulted in substandard coal. Placing the burden of losses caused by substandard coal on consumers is unlawful. The Government that promised change has now brought in corrupt, substandard coal deals, leaving the country and its people abandoned. He added that the money lost through this corrupt process could have been used to build schools, hospitals, provide relief to the poor, or even start new businesses.
The Opposition Leader insisted that what is needed is not a committee of experts but a forensic audit to investigate these corrupt transactions.
He said the Samagi Jana Balawegaya stands to protect electricity consumers, and that the President and the Cabinet must take responsibility for the damage caused by using substandard coal at the Norochcholai power plant, which is a national asset. (Newswire)
