Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated in a special statement today that the current government, which had claimed to prioritise renewable energy, is now deliberately working to undermine the renewable energy sector in the country. He further said that the National System Process has so far defaulted on payments amounting to Rs. 10 billion owed to renewable energy producers since last December, and that an additional Rs. 2.5 billion is being added to the outstanding amount every month. Sri Lanka Latest News
He also alleged that the government has become a victim of a thermal power plant and fuel power plant mafia.
Although the government publicly claims to be promoting renewable energy, the Opposition Leader said it has effectively become a pawn of the fuel and thermal power plant mafia. As a result, despite it costing around Rs. 100 to produce a unit of electricity through thermal and fuel power plants, funds are still being allocated for such generation methods.
Due to this situation, 389 renewable energy projects are now in danger. He noted that, apart from rooftop solar power, these include wind, small hydro, and biomass projects. In total, the system supplies 1,073 megawatts of electricity, while the country is reportedly losing significant amounts of money daily through an inefficient coal-based project. He further stated that the electricity lost is being replaced through high-cost fuel power generation. Meanwhile, renewable energy, which meets more than 70% of daytime electricity demand and helps save foreign exchange for the country, is being targeted by the government, according to the Opposition Leader.
He further stated that Sri Lanka is the only country in the world where a government that came into power promoting renewable energy has now turned to supporting thermal power plants under the influence of a fuel and thermal power plant mafia. As a result, renewable energy investors are facing bank debts, investor confidence has been severely damaged, and even entrepreneurs who were prepared to invest in the sector have been discouraged.
He urged that these actions should be stopped immediately, adding that while the world is moving towards renewable energy, the “Compass government” has become the only government promoting thermal power plants. He said the Samagi Jana Balawegaya is continuing its struggle on this issue.
