Trade unions linked to the energy industry say the National Power Grid will lose nearly 300MW of electricity supplied by the Kelanitissa Power Plant after 2pm today if sufficient fuel is not provided.
Speaking to NewsRadio, General Secretary of the Ceylon Electricity Board Employees Union Ranjan Jayalal said the government has no definite solution to the issue.
Jayalal said a unit of the Power Station that supplied 160MW to the national power grid was shut down at 10 last night due to the lack of furnace oil and diesel.
He said only 140MW are being supplied to the national grid at present.
He said the government’s solutions are turning into issues due to the delay in taking action.
On a separate note, Jayalal charged that India is attempting to take over Sri Lanka’s Thermal Power Plant system.
He said India already took hold of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm that provided them a majority of storage facilities.
The General Secretary of the Union said the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation informed the government during a discussion yesterday that it cannot supply fuel to the Ceylon Electricity Board claiming to be in a crisis themselves.
Jayalal said the government will be forced to sell Thermal Power Plants to India and purchase electricity at a price determined by India.
He said the country is facing a power crisis due to the shortage and inability to purchase crude oil.
Jayalal said India must assist the government by providing crude oil to generate electricity instead of attempting to negotiate during the crisis, if India is in fact a friendly nation.
