• There will be no fuel shortage due to the closure of the refinery

The Sapugaskanda oil refinery will be closed from January 3 due to the foreign currency crisis in the country, the Energy Ministry said.  

It said in a statement that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) was preparing to resume operation before January 30 after crude oil was purchased.  The Energy Ministry said Sapugaskanda oil refinery was catering to only 14 per cent of the country’s petrol needs and 29 per cent of diesel needs and that there will be no fuel shortage due to the closure of the refinery.  The statement said a Singaporean supplier had agreed to supply fuel from January 26.