Rs. 75 mn. daily loss due to substandard coal – ECA

2026-01-27 - 03:29

The General Secretary of the Electricity Users Association (ECA) – Sanjeewa Dhammika, claims that the controversial coal tender has resulted in a daily loss of around Rs. 75 million due to reduced power generation and increased fuel costs. Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo, he said concerns have arisen over 03 coal shipments imported under disputed circumstances. According to him, tests conducted on coal from the first shipment between Jan. 02 and 09 showed a loss of 15MW of generation capacity per unit, amounting to a total loss of 45MW across the 03 generators. He further alleged that no clear information has been provided so far regarding the second shipment and that no responsible authority has made a definitive statement about its quality. Referring to the third shipment, Dhammika stated that coal supplied from the night of Jan. 20 until the morning of Jan. 22 – roughly one and a half days – resulted in a generation shortfall of nearly 100MW compared to expected levels. Due to this deficit, electricity had to be generated using diesel, leading to an additional daily cost of around Rs. 75 million, which he said ultimately becomes a burden on consumers. Commenting further, he said, “The amount of ash released into the environment through the Norochcholai power plant boilers could create health issues for residents, especially in rainy weather conditions. The government should immediately compensate people living in the Norochcholai area. The ash content in coal should normally be around 11%. If it exceeds 16%, the shipment should be rejected. A serious question arises as to why the government failed to do so. This situation clearly shows that the government is not acting to protect the public and electricity consumers, but instead is safeguarding the relevant Indian company. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka must immediately launch an investigation into this matter, calculate the total losses incurred, and disclose them to the public.” 2 GW electricity loss daily – Champika Meanwhile, former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has stated that the country is losing approximately two gigawatt-hours of electricity per day due to the controversial coal tender. Speaking at a media briefing held yesterday (Jan. 26) on the alleged coal procurement scandal, the former Minister said that the loss incurred is nearly double the amount of the penalty that authorities expect to recover from the supplier. Related News: 3rd coal shipment to Norochcholai, also substandard – Pubudu Cabinet subcommittee uncovers extensive information on coal imported through Dubai-based company Coal tender scam a “ploy by Pelawatta” – Wimal No evidence of inferior coal being used in Norochcholai – Minister Coal shipment fails 2 lab tests – Champika