Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Chairman. I would also like to ask the Hon. Chief Opposition Whip for a couple of extra minutes, if needed.

¶ 02 This is a very important Ministry in the Hon. Kumara Jayakody’s hands. The downfall of the previous Government was largely driven by this sector. In 2022–23 the energy crisis had the biggest impact; blackouts and fuel shortages contributed to the Aragalaya and change of power. When you took office, you made many promises through this Ministry. We wondered how you would fulfill them, since prices then were driven not by Kanchana Wijesekera’s “thefts” but by taxes on fuel. Now you have been unable to fulfill many election promises, but I believe there are ways forward, and I present proposals.

¶ 03 If we study how countries with similar economies manage energy, we can learn. For example, Nepal and Bhutan prioritize energy security by transacting with neighboring power systems. Landlocked countries sometimes route connectivity via third countries to link with India’s grid. Bhutan earns 63 per cent of export income from power exports. In Sri Lanka, with year-round sun, we can develop solar farms with proper approvals and make energy a major forex earner. Bhutan even attracts bitcoin mining due to energy abundance and winter-time grid imports from neighbors, exporting surplus when production is high. Nepal earned USD 12.5 million last year by exporting energy. Our priority must be eliminating future energy crises and then earning forex through energy.

¶ 04 Sri Lanka is on the right path: in April, India’s Prime Minister and Sri Lanka signed an MoU on a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection. Grid connectivity with India would enable both imports during our hydro shortages and exports during surplus. Southern India, especially Tamil Nadu, will need massive electricity for AI-related growth. We missed earlier IT opportunities to the South; its economy now outpaces us. Supplying energy to support this growth via grid connectivity can significantly benefit our economy. The IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2025 projects India’s total energy requirement to grow by 40 per cent by 2035—likely even higher in Tamil Nadu. The Northern Province is geographically closer to Tamil Nadu than North India. With grid connectivity, Sri Lanka can gain substantially.

¶ 05 Some with parochial mindsets ask whether we will hand over our energy sector to India. Ironically, many who said such things now sit on the Government benches. Therefore, I believe—