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| Sunday, 20 March 2005 |
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No hike in power tariff by Rohan Mathes Power and Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha rules out an imminent power tariff hike, due to favourable weather conditions at present. Minister Premajayantha told the Sunday Observer, 'With the recent rains coming in time, we are out of a crisis situation, and therefore a tariff hike will not be imminent'. He further said that the diesel-operated Embilipitiya power plant constructed by a private company, now nearing completion will be commissioned in April. This Embilipitiya power plant had been approved by the relevant authorities, including the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) during the last UNP regime and therefore he is not answerable to any queries as to its feasibility and environmental impact. Premajayantha noted that they would resume the Cabinet-approved Kothmale Power Project initially with St. Clares. 'We are now preparing the estimates, and once that is over, we will call for tenders', he said. He added that as for the Norochcholai coal power plant, they are awaiting proposals from the National Thermal Power Corporation of India (NTPCI). Meanwhile, Energy Consultant and Director Resource Management Associates, Tilak Siyambalapitiya when contacted by the Sunday Observer and asked for his views on the Embilipitiya Power Project which is to be commissioned in April, said that there is no blanket environmental comparison you could do between two technologies. The deciding factor for long-term power generation of a country would first be an economic one where one would look for the cheapest. Sri Lanka did this for over half a century by opting for hydro-electricity. However, we have got it wrong this century by not going for the next cheapest energy source which is coal, Siyambalapitiya added. |
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