Sri Lanka to make USD payment for oil tankers, NO future power cuts - Gammanpila

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila says the government had decided to make a USD payment to two oil tankers anchored at the Colombo Port.

"Therefore, there will be no power cuts," said Minister Gammanpila on Monday (24).

He said at a meeting with respective stakeholders it was agreed that if payment is made to one of the oil tankers, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation will be able to deliver Diesel to the WestCoast Power Plant instead of Furnace Oil, and deliver Furnace Oil to the Sapugaskanda Power Plant.

Therefore, we can deliver the Diesel and Furnace Oil for electricity Generation.

Further, the President had instructed the Treasury to release necessary funds to the Ceylon Electricity Board to settle its Rs. 93 Billion debt to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, he said.

The Minister further added that the Sapugaskanda Power Plant will be able to recommence generating electricity by the 30th of January 2022.