The Hon. Amila Prasad

¶ 01 Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, Hon. Presiding Member.

¶ 02 It is indeed gratifying to participate in this debate on energy today. Economic progress in a country depends on the public and all political movements. That is the theme we are discussing now. But whether that progress can be sustained is determined by how strong we are in terms of energy. I will first refer to electricity in particular.

¶ 03 When speaking of energy, we first discussed renewable energy. The energy sector consists of three main segments: generation, transmission, and distribution. The country’s economic growth depends on whether these three systems can run stably and continuously 24 hours a day. Therefore, the Government’s foremost task should be to make our country self-sufficient in energy and to provide energy at the lowest possible price. Renewable energy alone is not sufficient to provide uninterrupted electricity. We cannot build new large hydropower plants now; as far as I know, there are no viable new sites left. Therefore, we must focus on other renewable sources.

¶ 04 We should particularly focus on wind power and on generating electricity from solar. There are two basic issues: unlike thermal or fuel-fired plants, wind and solar cannot produce firm, round-the-clock power. At one time there is strong sunlight or strong wind, but not always. Therefore, electricity output fluctuates. We can never meet 100% of the national demand solely from variable renewables. However, by increasing renewables together with LNG, we can reduce the share from thermal plants.

¶ 05 In my view, the key problem is transmission and distribution. The intermediate grid is inefficient and must be redesigned. But we do not have the funds to overhaul it entirely on our own, so take new steps: as the Minister said, bring together the state and private sectors to develop the grid, segment it appropriately, and invest. Otherwise, we will never reach the desired economic growth. We must convince investors that our energy will be affordable, or your expected targets will not be met. Therefore, I urge you to focus on these energy sources and the sector as a priority. These are the real issues in the country.

¶ 06 Since the opening of this sitting, many speak of 76 years of theft. I will not dwell on that because theft is not the country’s main problem—though it is one among the top ten. More pressing is the energy crisis. Without reliable power, we cannot progress quickly. If an investor sets up an IT company serving the world, but we cannot provide uninterrupted power, they cannot compete. Therefore, you must introduce new laws and regulations to ensure reliable power. Especially allow siting of solar plants near industrial loads and deliver that power to the company through the CEB—e.g., build solar arrays in high-irradiance areas and supply a specific facility via the grid with a wheeling arrangement. Investors will then come, start companies, and obtain power through wheeling, paying charges via the CEB. With such new ideas, the country can move forward.

¶ 07 Second, address solar PV system issues. Linking to the Minister’s “monkey” comment: a sudden outage occurred; high inverter output caused progressive tripping across households and the system cascaded. What can be done? Introduce batteries nationally to absorb excess PV, especially as Chinese battery technology is becoming highly competitive, and companies like Tesla face that market dynamic. If we introduce battery storage—both for grid storage of daytime solar and for EVs—we can provide nighttime power and popularize electric vehicles. I therefore propose fast-tracking battery technology and enabling private generation with delivery through the CEB to industrial users.

¶ 08 Hon. Presiding Member, with a brief minute more, I will conclude.

¶ 09 India is at our doorstep and is rapidly developing. We think of tea, coconut, rubber, and labour exports—but we can also sell electricity. How? First, we must connect with India. You have 159 seats and the people’s trust; do not fear. When you were in Opposition you opposed such links; we will not. We will not say that interconnection threatens sovereignty. Make the interconnection now, because if in the next decade new global energy vectors arrive, as Hon. Ravi Karunanayake noted, we may lose the window to sell. So, talk to Indian investors without fear—not only Adani but others too. Tell them to take power to India. If we make the North and East a hub for renewables, we will create a new economic zone.

¶ 10 The Government must also address environmental organizations. Some work in good faith, but some obstruct every project—hydro because villages are inundated, wind because of birds, or any project due to environmental factors—sometimes influenced by owners of private fuel power plants seeking to protect their market share. The CEB has some of the country’s brightest engineers, yet has failed to introduce a robust, low-cost solution. Yes, the CEB now shows a profit—but remember electricity bills were raised to achieve it. Bills must come down, which requires low-cost generation. The CEB, with its expertise, has a duty to advise the Minister on how to supply stable, uninterrupted, low-cost power and even export electricity.

¶ 11 Also, Ministers must be responsible. The “monkey” statement made the country a global joke and signaled instability to investors. Another Minister called the Adani withdrawal a “shock.” We must give investors confidence. Negotiate fairly where needed, but do not treat investors as enemies. If we want a prosperous country by 2029 and beyond, we must engage the world responsibly, connect with India, ramp up renewables, reduce LNG/thermal share, and deliver uninterrupted, affordable power. Then investors will come, wealth will be created, and the country will succeed. We, as Samagi Jana Balawegaya, will not oppose constructive measures—you in Government must act; in Opposition we cannot.

¶ 12 Thank you.