• The current coal stocks in hand are sufficient only up to October 25, and if the government does not take action to import sufficient coal by the fourth week of October, there would be a danger of shutting down all three coal power plants   

By Chathuranga Samarawickrama   

Although we have sufficient renewable energy and hydropower, the existing stocks of coal in hand will come to an end by end October, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said.   

In an address to the media, he stated that we are currently producing around 70% renewable energy and with the present rainfall in the hydro catchment areas, it is possible to generate 60% of the hydropower requirement.  
“Two coal power plants out of three are running smoothly. Therefore, power cuts would not be imposed even though one or two-hour power cut announcements would be made in the future,” he said.  
We hope that the current situation will continue until the end of this year.  

However, the current coal stocks in hand are sufficient only up to October 25, and if the government does not take action to import sufficient coal by the fourth week of October, there would be a danger of shutting down all three coal power plants.  

He said the selected coal supplier had not furnished a performance bond due to some technical issues.  
“If the CEB or the government does not arrange to import sufficient coal from the fourth week of October, the country may lose almost 900 Mw of electricity being supplied to the main grid. Although we have other sources such as renewable energy, hydro and mini hydro, there could be possibilities of power cuts,” he said.