Non settlement of dues by CEB Some 7,000 renewable energy sector workers may lose their jobs

Workers hold protest in front of CEB head office

The Renewable Energy Association said some 7,000 people in the  renewable energy sector are running a risk of losing their jobs due to  non settlement of dues to renewable energy sector players for providing  power to the national grid.   

Following is the statement issued by the Association in this regard.   

A protest by the workers of the Renewable Energy sector was  held in front of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) head office in  Colombo recently. The Renewable Energy sector workers claim that  the CEB has withheld monies due, to the tune of Rs. 23 Billion, even  though their workers have not suffered any cutbacks. Due to these 7,000  workers and their families are on the verge of losing their jobs and  homes, SE spokesman said.   

Speaking to the media, all Island Mini-hydro Power Generator”  spokesman. Ruwan Prasanga said, the protest made by the workers of the  renewable energy sector opposite the CEB is to stress the seriousness of  their situation, that 7,000 worker families are on the brink of being  made destitute due to the non-settlement of housing and other loans. As  banks are demanding the instalments on their housing loans which cannot  be met, now the auctioning of their homes is a very real threat. Even  though their salaries and allowances have been reduced due to this  situation, we have kept the plants running and producing power as it is  of national importance to the country. If this sector which produces 12  per cent of the power was to close down the government will have to fill  this gap by importing Diesel to generate this power to fill the gap at  the cost of Rs. 72.26 whereas we supply a unit of power at Rs 16.26 he  said. If the situation is not put right soon we will have no other  choice but to resort to legal action, he said.   

Speaking further to the media, Prasanga said, that since  2015 there has been no increase in the RE sector’s supply of power to  the grid been allowed. It seems that there is a hand trying to sabotage  this industry. Even though the power is supplied at a much lesser cost  than that is generated with Diesel oil, there is no encouragement from  the CEB to purchase from the RE sector. The money the RE sector is  demanding is the money due for power already supplied and that the CEB  has collected money from the public. With the salaries of these workers  not being met on time, it has caused demoralisation among them. This  makes it extremely difficult to run proper maintenance of these RE  facilities.