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National Audit Office urges CEB to help achieve renewable energy goals
The National Audit Office has, in a recent evaluation report on the process of developing renewable energy sources, recommended a coordinating mechanism to avoid delays in obtaining approvals for energy projects, and asked the CEB to comply with National Energy Policy and international conventions when it prepares the long-term generation plan.
Sri Lanka will not achieve President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s goal to increase the total Renewable Energy generation to 70% of total energy production in Sri Lanka by 2030, a performance audit by the National Audit Office states.
The new renewable energy generation, apart from hydro power, accounts for only 12 per cent of the total energy supply in 2020 and the contribution of large-scale hydropower plants is 25 percent.
In keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other global conventions, Sri Lanka is expected to increase the renewable energy contribution to 70 percent by 2030. However, the report observes that although the country has set up a goal to achieve the full transition (Balance in the Carbon Budget) of all power supply networks by 2050, according to the Low Cost Long Term Generation Plan 2022-2041 presented by the CEB, the power generation from renewable sources will be only 50 per cent up to 2041 and two coal power plants had also been included in the Generation Plan.
It has also been observed that steps have not been taken to reduce the length of time, almost two years, required for the complex process of approving renewable energy projects. The Audit Office adds that the Sustainable Energy Authority has been collecting applications and fees from developers for the construction of renewable power plants since 2017, but no action has been taken to implement these projects by the end of 2021.
“Only 13 solar power projects of one megawatt each had been added to the national grid from 2017 to the end of 2019. Applications are currently being invited for the development of wind power plants only for a capacity of 60 MW. It was observed that only 269 MW of capacity were connected to the main grid under the Soorya Bala Sangramaya Programme,” the report says.
The National Audit Office said that in September 2021, the Cabinet decided that Sri Lanka needs to generate 70% of power from renewable sources by 2030, that there must not be new coal power plants and that the country must achieve Carbon Neutrality in Energy Generation by 2050.
“Further, it had also instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy to direct the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board to take immediate steps to prepare a Least Cost Long Term Generation Plan 2022-2041 based on the general policy guidelines applicable to the power industry by the Cabinet decision. However, the Ceylon Electricity Board had unveiled the Least Cost Long Term Generation Plan 2022-2041 which did not comply with the government’s new policy in October 2021. According to it, it will generate 50 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2041 and two coal power plants have also been included.
The new targets had been announced also by the President of Sri Lanka at the United Nations Energy Conference on 22 September 2021. Although it should be noted that the currently operating Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant alone emits about 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, it has not been done accordingly,” the National Audit Office said.
The report also said that the National Policy states that it will reduce the length of time required for the approval of renewable energy projects through a central coordination mechanism, the necessary steps had not been taken so far. As a result, the Office notes, entrepreneurs are wasting their valuable time, money and labour unnecessarily and are discouraged and have to abandon projects and it missed opportunities to add new energy sources to the national grid.
“Although the policy states that the Ministry of Power and Energy will appoint a committee consisting of officials from government agencies and Line Ministries to coordinate the approval of renewable energy projects and land acquisition by the end of 2019, the committee had not been appointed until now. Failure to do so would have hampered the smooth running of the process and the implementation of the goals and objectives set out in the National Policy within the stipulated time frame and this was an obstacle to achieving the desired performance,” the report said.
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
