Cabinet Decision to Approve Construction of a Coal

Power Plant and two LNG Plants ran Counter to

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Promise to meet
80% of Sri Lanka’s Energy Needs Through
Renewable Sources by 2030 Points out Secretary of
Solar Industries Association, Lakmal Fernando

Posted by Administrator on 26 January 2020, 3:43 pm

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Cabinet decision to approve the construction of a

coal power plant and two LNG plants ran counter to
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s promise to meet 80% of
Sri Lanka’s energy needs through renewable sources by
2030, Secretary of Solar Industries Association (SIA),
Lakmal Fernando told The Island yesterday.

Last week, the Cabinet approved the construction of a

600 megawatt extension of Norochcholai Coal Power
complex, an LNG plant with a capacity of 300 Megawatt
as a joint venture with Ceylon Electricity Board and India
/ Japan at Kerawalapitiya and a 300 megawatt LNG plant
at Kerawalapitiya to be constructed with funds from the
Asian Development Bank.

“If the construction of these power plants goes ahead,

52% our power will come from coal and diesel by 2030.
The economy will suffer in such an eventuality,” Fernando
said.

Both coal and LNG were imported and the government

had to pay for those inputs in dollars. The country would
keep on spending hard earned foreign currency by Sri
Lankans working in West Asia so that politicians could
keep on making money.

“Moreover, the process of constructing large fossil fuel

power plants takes a long time, but solar power units
could be established fast,” Fernando said.

Courtesy:The Island