Energy experts disturbed over top ministry officials unethical attitude

The tenders were called for the power plant on 19th December 2019 and five bidders responded

Energy experts and the political authority have been disturbed by a covert attempt by a top official of the Power and Energy Ministry to offer a tender to construct the proposed 130 MWS gas turbine power plant at Kelantissa ignoring the tender specifications and recommendations of the Cabinet Appointed Tender Board (CATB) and Procurement Committee, the Daily Mirror learns.

A senior official of the CEB said the tenders were called for the power plant on 19th December 2019 and five bidders responded.

The CATB rejected three and short listed for consideration to offer the tender to construct the US$ 95 million power plant, the official said on condition of anonymity. “One of the specifications for the successful bidder was that he must have 12,000 hours of experience in gas turbine power generation. But only one bidder had that experience and the other had only 3,000 hours of experience though both bidders were to install the same machinery of a prestigious German manufacturer of gas turbines,” the official said.

However, the top official of the Ministry was adamant, insisting that the tender must be offered to the lesser experienced contractor notwithstanding the fact that he had quoted US$ 105 million.

As a result of this controversy, the construction of the gas turbine power plant at Kelanitissa had been delayed while the country was facing a power crisis, he lamented.