JICA to provide technical cooperation in power sector reforms of Sri Lanka

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide technical cooperation in the county reforms in the power sector by extending funding to the assignment of the senior 
lead advisor.
The Cabinet appointed a senior lead advisor as the head of the Power Sector Reform Secretariat, to provide strategies to coordinate activities in the power sector reforms.
The JICA will support this endeavour by funding the assignment as a grant, under its 
technical cooperation.

As a long-term development partner and funding agency to the power sector, the JICA said the consulting service would not be financed out of the proceeds of the loan facility but will be compensated as one of the JICA’s Technical Cooperation Projects (TCP) ‘Grant’, where there is no cost to the government or citizens of 
Sri Lanka. 
The appointed senior lead advisor, equipped with over 25 years of experience in a number of Asian countries as a senior expert in the Asian Development Bank and World Bank group, is expected to play a leading role in the power 
sector reforms. 
The areas of responsibilities include providing strategic direction to the reform process, coordinating the technical assistance from development agencies, offering inputs pertaining to technical, energy policy and regulation issues and undertaking 
stakeholder consultations. 
In March 2023, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility programme (IMF programme) was approved and reform of state-owned enterprises, including the Ceylon Electricity Board, is one of the top prioritised issues in the 
IMF programme. 

Accordingly, the government has embarked on a power sector reform process to improve efficiency, consumer service, enhance migration to renewable energy and mobilisation of private investments to the sector.