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CEB to request fuel from LIOC today after CPC snub

17 Jan 2022

 
  • CPC demands advance requests and payment in dollars
  • Lokuge claims CPC must adhere to annual CEB supply plan
  • Two power stations with 460 MW to run out of fuel today: Engineers
  • Hydropower generation to drop below 35%
BY Pamodi Waravita Power Minister Gamini Lokuge said yesterday (17) that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will hold discussions with the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) today (18) about the possibility of obtaining fuel from the LIOC, amidst the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CPC) difficulty in supplying fuel to the Power Ministry to supply electricity to the country. “We are considering a number of alternative options to supply electricity at the moment. We are looking to see whether the LIOC will provide us with fuel and I have instructed CEB Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando to hold a meeting about that today,” Lokuge said while speaking to the media yesterday. Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila, speaking to media on Sunday (16), said that the CEB had initially only requested for fuel from the end of January 2022, and that in any event, payment must be made in US dollars (USD). “However, on 7 January, they requested furnace oil of 3,500 metric tonnes (MT) per day. That will be given until 22 January. On 11 January, they requested 1,500 MT of diesel per day from 13 January. But, we reminded them of their initial request and said that we need at least 30 days to fulfil their request. They also need to pay us in USD for us to bring down fuel for them,” said Gammanpila. Lokuge said yesterday that the fuel supply to the CEB is a yearly supply, and that the CPC must adhere to that. “We do not ask (for fuel) day in, day out. When they plan, they should plan that they need a certain amount of fuel, that vehicles need a certain amount, and that power stations need a certain amount. So we expect them to bring down fuel according to that plan.” Meanwhile, speaking to the media yesterday, CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) Joint Secretary Dhammika Wimalaratne said that both the Kelanitissa and Sapugaskanda Power Stations will run out of fuel today, thus removing 300 megawatts (MW) and 160 MW from the supply lines, respectively. “They have still not informed us as to how fuel will be obtained to keep these running,” he said. CEBEU President Eng. Saumya Kumarawadu said that due to the lack of rains, as the dry season has already begun, the amount of electricity generated via hydropower has reduced to 35% from the usual 70%, and warned that this could continue to decrease. Meanwhile, the CEBEU will be launching a sick leave campaign today, against what they claim to be the “illegal appointment of Eng. Dr. M.N. Susantha Perera”, as the new temporary General Manager (GM) of the CEB. The Morning learnt that Eng. Dr. Perera assumed his duties as the new temporary GM from last Saturday (15). According to the CEBEU, Perera was also the second witness on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka during the signing of the agreement between New Fortress Energy Inc. and the Government of Sri Lanka. Ferdinando was the first witness. The Morning reported last month that the controversial deal was proposed by New Fortress Energy Head of Power Jatila Ranasinghe and was mediated by two individuals, one being a board director at a leading conglomerate in Sri Lanka as well as a former Provincial Councillor, while the other was Ferdinando. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka tabled the aforementioned agreement in Parliament on 10 December 2021, which showed that the deal was signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Power Holdings Limited Liability Company (LLC). A copy of this showed that Ferdinando and Perera have signed as the first and second witnesses on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, respectively. Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, Colombo Archbishop His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and some office bearers of the JVP, and other parties, including the CEBEU and the Federation of National Organisations, have filed petitions against the Government’s decision to hand over 40% of the shares of the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya to New Fortress Energy, along with a monopoly over supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG). Accusations have earlier been levelled at the CEBEU for deliberately causing the islandwide power outage that occurred on 3 December 2021, amidst their trade union actions against the aforementioned agreement.

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