News
Biomass power producer forced to shut due to CEB’s unpaid arrears
Company saves country USD 3 mn. Annually
by Ifham Nizam
An independent power supplier to Sri Lanka’s national grid whose supplies could annually save the country Rs 450 Million in energy costs and USD 3 million in foreign exchange has shut down because of huge unpaid arrears owed to it by the Ceylon Electricity Board and because of the very large recent increases in the cost of wood fuel.
Mirigama Dendro Power (MDP) is a 4 MW biomass plant which provides 3.8 MW of power to Sri Lanka’s national grid annually.
“CEB has not paid us from December last year and owes us Rs 194 million” said MDP Chairman Dr. Romesh Bandaranaike.
The price of fuelwood used by the Plant has increased by over 75% because of the recent exchange rate changes and the price increases in diesel, which has prompted many industries to change the fuel used by their boilers, which supply process steam, from diesel to wood.
“Raw wood has increased from Rs 4/kg. to more than Rs 7/kg and wood chips from Rs 7/kg to over Rs 11/kg. At these prices, it is not economical to run the plant. It will only be viable if there is a substantial increase in what we are paid for the energy we supply to the CEB,” Bandaranaike said.
“We need a minimum increase of Rs 7-8 per kWh from the present Rs 26.65 we are paid if we are to meet our costs and service our bank loans.”
He adds: “The tariff formula in our agreement with the CEB is “backward looking with five year past averages.” It was never designed to handle situations like the present with massive inflation.
The Rs 34-35 per kWh that Dr. Bandaranaike has requested is still substantially lower than what it costs the CEB to generate the same energy, which is Rs 41 per kWh using coal and over Rs 70 per kWh using diesel according to him. The plant can generate 28,000,000 kWh annually.
The savings to the CEB by purchasing power from the plant at Rs 34/kWh rather than generating the power itself at an average cost of Rs 50 per kWh would be Rs. 448 million per year.
Since the plant uses local fuel rather than imported coal or diesel, the foreign exchange savings would be in excess of USD three million, if the average fuel cost per kWh for the CEB’s plants whose power will be replaced is Rs 40.
“We owe the banks Rs 610 million in project loans and Rs 100 million in overdrafts. The collateral for these loans is the plant assets. We have asked the banks to take over our plant because we cannot operate it any more,” Bandaranaike said.
“The shareholders are resigned to losing their equity investment which was in excess of Rs 500 million. The banks will also lose their loan funds because no one will want to take over and run the Plant even if it is given at Rs 1.”
“It is a shame that a Plant which can generate power cheaper than the CEB’s coal power plants and also save USD three million in foreign exchange each year will have to be sold for scrap.”
He says that given his long experience with dealing with the CEB – he used to be the CEO of Sri Lanka’s largest small hydro power developer – there is little hope in approaching the CEB to request a revision in their present tariff and expedite payments.
Repeated requests to the CEB for payments of even a portion of their arrears have also fallen on deaf ears.
“They have so many other problems with power cuts due to fuel unavailability, consumer tariffs substantially lower than costs which result in massive losses, and so on. We are a tiny part of the solution and the CEB has no time for us.”
He says that MDP will make one last attempt to save their plant by going along with the banks to the Public Utility Commission and see if they can make “sanity prevail.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
