The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

¶ 01 Thank you. Government Members often say “past 76 years,” but in those years Sri Lanka electrified over 98% of households with one of the lowest technical losses in Asia. The Victoria-Randenigala-Rantembe complex, Samanalawewa, Upper Kotmale, Kukuleganga, and later the 900 MW Norochcholai plant were built across administrations. You inherited a robust system.

¶ 02 Your policy promises are not being implemented. To bring more generation online, we must invest in transmission lines and substations. I asked the Minister about funding; he said he would borrow. But borrowing requires reforms the IMF demands. You say you won’t privatize existing transmission/distribution, only build new parallel systems. Technically and practically, how will you run a parallel transmission system to the existing grid? Investors must be brought into the existing networks, or the state must fund upgrades—both are constrained.

¶ 03 You have instructed small hydro and small solar units to shut on Sundays due to low demand when factories are off. Is this legal under their PPAs? Manage Sundays with large hydro, keep small RE running, and use hydro on weekdays/peaks. Don’t violate PPAs by force.

¶ 04 Least-cost procurement is the law. Some extended mini-hydros supply at Rs. 6–9 per kWh—very cheap. Why shut them on Sundays and waste water?

¶ 05 There were 50 MW-class projects tendered years ago, shortlisted to 46. You have not only halted Adani’s projects but also many credible local developers—some of whom now invest across Asia and Africa. Don’t block them; empower them.

¶ 06 PUCSL indicates scope for another 30% electricity reduction. Naphtha prices are down. You are charging VAT on coal—an input with no value added—which inflates costs. Your campaign promised Rs. 150–200 per liter fuel and even cars at Rs. 1.4 million. Today an Alto costs over Rs. 7 million. Your pledges are abandoned for IMF-era policies.

¶ 07 On the 50 MW Mannar wind tender raised by Hon. Mujibur Rahuman: you awarded it to a favored company with major deviations, justifying it as “lowest bid.” Then why tender at all? Even after award, the company—Fentons (a Hayleys subsidiary)—has not ordered turbines or started works, despite land, EIA, grid, and lines being ready. If they fail, what is your remedy? Calculate daily lost energy from the 50 MW delay and act.

¶ 08 On petroleum distributors: you escalated matters to the CID alleging “sabotage” over distribution margins. This needs businesslike dialogue, not threats. Distributors have halted orders; even if they resume, they won’t extend credit to police and hospitals. They also plan to refuse card payments. We are moving to digital; we cannot regress to cash.

¶ 09 In Colombo, prime land makes sheds marginal versus supermarkets; margin cuts worsen viability. If you want to recover Rs. 30 billion as per court/COPE, do so properly. Don’t improvise with 24-hour decrees and criminal investigations.

¶ 10 On LNG: what is the status of the Muthurajawela terminal? A previous Chinese FSRU proposal as a developer (not mere supplier) would take six years and could raise costs. After the President’s China visit, is that being revived? Earlier, you proposed sourcing LNG via Petronet (Kerala) with refrigerated carriers; what is the chosen path? Sobadanavi and the adjacent plant were designed for LNG but now run on furnace oil. Prioritize the terminal and supply.

¶ 11 At Norochcholai, 42 experienced engineers have left recently; retain skilled staff to maintain stability.

¶ 12 You reduced distributors’ margins from 3% to 1.5% from March 1st but did not pass that saving to consumers. Where did it go?

¶ 13 Overall, you have not moved to fulfill your promises; instead you are operating from within the “walawwa” you pledged to dismantle.