• Yugadanavi, Sobadanavi and Sahasdanavi come under fire
• ECA demands disclosure of operating costs, fuel expenses, contractual payments
• Questions whether agreements add around Rs 3 per unit to electricity bills
• Calls for official data on plant operations, power output and payments during shutdowns

The Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) has called on the Government to disclose the operating costs, fuel expenses and contractual payment arrangements of the Yugadhanavi, Sobadhanavi and Sahasdhanavi power plants, questioning their impact on electricity tariffs and the lack of public information on their costs.

ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said the Government should disclose how many days each plant operated, the amount spent on fuel, the cost of each unit of electricity generated and any payments made when the plants were not generating electricity.

He questioned whether agreements linked to the plants were adding around Rs 3 to the cost of a unit of electricity and called on the Government to release the figures needed to establish their actual impact on tariffs.

“Electricity consumers are paying these costs through their bills, so the Government must explain how the money is being spent. The decisions and agreements behind these expenses cannot be concealed from the public,” he said.

Dhammika said a review of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka’s (PUCSL) 2026 electricity tariff decisions and the National System Operator Private Limited’s cost estimates had raised questions about fuel prices, power purchases and electricity generation plans.

He said cost projections for the Sobadhanavi power plant included the use of diesel or liquefied natural gas (LNG), while questions had also been raised about the possible use of alternative fuels and the transparency of fuel procurement agreements.

He called on the Government to disclose the annual operating days of each plant, fuel expenditure, any capacity charges or other payments made when a plant was not generating electricity, and the cost of obtaining a unit of electricity from each facility. He also sought details of how the agreements affected the overall electricity tariff.

Dhammika further claimed that Sobadhanavi operated for fewer than 10 days a year and challenged the Government to publish official figures on its operating days, electricity output, fuel expenditure and other payments so that consumers could assess the cost of maintaining and operating the facility.

“If official data can confirm that the Sahasdhanavi power plant operates for fewer than 10 days a year, who will take responsibility for that? The Government should respond to this with official data instead of political statements,” he said.

Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka was unavailable for comment.