Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy

¶ 01 I have not stated anywhere—nor does this reply state—that LNG is renewable. We use firm energy sources—LNG, diesel, or coal—when hydro is low to maintain grid stability (frequency and inertia), which variable sources like solar and wind alone cannot provide. On tariffs, as explained under Questions 4 and 5, this is not a cut to harm developers. Solar panel prices have fallen by about 33% year-on-year, and the rupee has appreciated from around 305–306 per USD to below 300, so we are passing benefits to consumers, consistent with calls to reduce electricity bills. Genuine developers are not harmed; those who started without real investment may face issues, but we still have abundant applications and have already approved capacity exceeding this year’s LTGEP additions, keeping us on track for 70% renewables by 2030. We are also expanding grid capacity and accelerating battery storage tenders to integrate more solar.