The Hon. Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the answer is as follows:

¶ 02 (a) (i) Cabinet approval for the new project to develop and increase the capacity of the Sapugaskanda Refinery Complex was granted on 20.02.2025. Pursuant to that approval, the call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) was completed on 26.09.2025.

¶ 03 The evaluation of EOIs is now in its final stage, after which, in accordance with the Government Procurement Guidelines, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be invited. Approximately 20 EOIs were received. Accordingly, the project to expand and modernize the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery has already commenced.

¶ 04 (ii) With the objectives of meeting the total domestic demand through the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), providing bunkering services, promoting exports, and establishing Sri Lanka as a regional petroleum export hub, the project entails development and capacity enhancement of the Sapugaskanda Refinery Complex, modernization of the existing refinery and/or construction of a new refinery under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, to be implemented under the most suitable proposal selected through procurement.

¶ 05 (iii) Expenditure: - For land acquisition: Rs. 785,837,500.00 - Advance for land acquisition: Rs. 510,000,000.00 - For feasibility study (2022): USD 600,000 — equivalent Rs. 171,837,628.00

¶ 06 (iv) The project is in operation.

¶ 07 (v) The EOI process was completed on 26.09.2025 and evaluation is in the final stage. The next stage will be to call RFPs in accordance with Government procurement procedures.

¶ 08 (b) Not applicable.