The stocks of coal required for this year should be collected as the off season is coming from mid April to September, but the supply of coal is at an uncertainty amidst the ongoing dollar deficit, warned the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
The unloading of coal should be carried out before April in the event that it cannot be carried out in off season, and the CEB went on saying that 07 ships of coal are required for power generation this year. But with the ongoing dollar crisis, paying off these vessels could be a problem befallen the government, it warned.
Should the government fail to find solutions to this crisis, the people may have to suffer the consequences. Sri Lanka is already facing hours-long power cuts amidst the diesel shortage and these outages are likely to be extended for few more hours on a daily basis, should the government fail to retrieve coal.
Nevertheless, Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge told media that the country has enough coal for power generation until December. Contradictory to the subject Minister’s opinion, the CEB noted that these coal stocks are sufficient only till September. Discussions have already been held with government leaders on how to raise the funds required to purchase coal for the remaining months, it added.
MIAP
