Colombo: A electric field in union Sri Lanka On Wednesday it said it would go on an indefinite strike from midnight to protest the new government law, potentially leading to a power blackout in a country grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades.
About 900 of the 1,100 engineers run by the state ceylon electricity board The CEB Engineers Union said Sri Lanka’s leading power company (CEB) will not report for duty on Thursday and those already working on power plants, transmission and distribution facilities will leave at midnight.
Sri Lanka’s deepest economic crisis since independence in 1948 has affected the lives of many of its 22 million people, with long queues for fuel and cooking gas, as well as shortages of essential commodities, including medicines.
The country was plagued by prolonged power cuts earlier this year following a foreign exchange crunch in imports of the fuel needed for power generation, though the situation has improved as the monsoon rains generate hydropower.
But with talks between the CEB Engineers Union and government officials with no success so far, the strike could bring back power cuts.
The union is opposing government plans to amend laws governing the country’s power sector, including lifting restrictions on competitive bidding for renewable energy projects.
Dhammika Vimalaratne, the union’s joint secretary, told Reuters: “Negotiations with the minister have been unsuccessful. These amendments are fraudulent and aimed at scrapping a competitive bidding scheme that exists to ensure electricity at the lowest cost to the public.” ”
“We can’t agree with that in any way.”
Sri Lanka’s government, under new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, with early interest from some international players, including India’s Adani, is pursuing renewable energy as a potential solution to its electricity problems, which is launching a 500MW solar and wind project. looking at
The country’s Minister for Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said she expected parliament to pass the revised rules on Thursday and accused the union of stalling much-needed reforms.
“The amendment will pave the way for faster approval and implementation of long-delayed renewable energy projects,” he said in a tweet on Tuesday.
About 900 of the 1,100 engineers run by the state ceylon electricity board The CEB Engineers Union said Sri Lanka’s leading power company (CEB) will not report for duty on Thursday and those already working on power plants, transmission and distribution facilities will leave at midnight.
Sri Lanka’s deepest economic crisis since independence in 1948 has affected the lives of many of its 22 million people, with long queues for fuel and cooking gas, as well as shortages of essential commodities, including medicines.
The country was plagued by prolonged power cuts earlier this year following a foreign exchange crunch in imports of the fuel needed for power generation, though the situation has improved as the monsoon rains generate hydropower.
But with talks between the CEB Engineers Union and government officials with no success so far, the strike could bring back power cuts.
The union is opposing government plans to amend laws governing the country’s power sector, including lifting restrictions on competitive bidding for renewable energy projects.
Dhammika Vimalaratne, the union’s joint secretary, told Reuters: “Negotiations with the minister have been unsuccessful. These amendments are fraudulent and aimed at scrapping a competitive bidding scheme that exists to ensure electricity at the lowest cost to the public.” ”
“We can’t agree with that in any way.”
Sri Lanka’s government, under new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, with early interest from some international players, including India’s Adani, is pursuing renewable energy as a potential solution to its electricity problems, which is launching a 500MW solar and wind project. looking at
The country’s Minister for Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said she expected parliament to pass the revised rules on Thursday and accused the union of stalling much-needed reforms.
“The amendment will pave the way for faster approval and implementation of long-delayed renewable energy projects,” he said in a tweet on Tuesday.