The government will not pass any financial burden arising from substandard coal shipments onto electricity consumers, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said.
Speaking at the post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday (2), the minister said both President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) had previously assured that consumers would not be made to bear the cost of any shortcomings linked to coal quality.
He said the government is following an established procedure for handling shipments found to be below required standards and stressed that any losses resulting from such issues would not be borne by the public.
Jayatissa noted that authorities have mechanisms to recover costs from the relevant companies, including legal action if necessary. He added that a Presidential Commission appointed to examine the matter had been given time until May 22 to receive submissions and would make its determinations independently. (Newswire)