CEB Engineers highlight alleged misdeeds of corrupt PUCSL officials

The Engineers Union of the CEB yesterday castigated the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) that the actions and policies of the power monitor has jeopardized the Power Generation Plan and the damage cost was a whopping Rs. 650 billion to the country.

Engineers charged that corrupt officials at PUCSL who have formed an unholy alliance were wreaking havoc on the Electrical Power Industry.

This inevitably resulted in losing a number of low cost power plants which would have been in operation, had the approval been granted on due time

Engineers charged that corrupt officials at PUCSL who have formed an unholy alliance were wreaking havoc on the Electrical Power Industry

Mr. Athula Wanniarachchi, highlighting alleged misdeed of the PUCSL said among those who scuttle the implementation of the Long Term Least Cost Power Generation Plan noted that among surreptitious elements there were foreign funded non-governmental organizations.

Gloomy days are ahead due to the impending power crisis solely due to the intentional delaying in granting approval of 20 year Least Cost Long Term Generation Expansion Plan (LCLTGEP). The country was left without a generation plan for nearly four years 2014-2018.This inevitably resulted in losing a number of low cost power plants which would have been in operation, had the approval been granted on due time. This blunder would cost the nations dearly by an enormous power crisis in the near future which would also place CEB under immense economical turmoil. It is estimated that the chaotic situation brought about by the PUCSL through their delaying tactics and manipulations would cost the country a whopping Rs. 536 billion. This estimate is arrived at by analysis of data available with planning and System Operations branches through careful and precise calculations with use of world renowned SDDP (Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programme) software. this foregone cost is due to the previously planned power plants including Sampur Powerplant not being brought in to operating in due course and as a result of the advent of costly liquid fuelled power plants.

If the planned low cost power plants were put into service, the cost of generated electricity would be Rs, 10 per unit, whereas that generated by a liquid fuelled power plant would amount to at least Rs. 25 per unit by current world market prices for petroleum, Mr. Wanniarachchi stressed.