Government Policy Against Renewable Energy: Opposition Leader Sajith

13-Apr-2026

.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that in addition to the substandard coal fraud, the Government is implementing a policy that is hostile to renewable energy.

He made these remarks while speaking in Parliament during the debate on the no-confidence motion against Minister Kumara Jayakody held on April 10.

Premadasa stated it is clear that the Government’s coal procurement involved not a minor fraud but large-scale corruption, with the importation of low-quality coal being the key issue. He further said that alongside this coal fraud, the Government is also undermining renewable energy.

He claimed that while enabling the fuel mafia, the Government is destroying environmentally-friendly, low-cost renewable energy which could reduce electricity tariffs, calling this conspiracy extremely serious.

He stated that for all these reasons, it is morally unacceptable for the Energy Minister to remain in office.

He also said that when the Opposition raised concerns about low-quality coal, the Government under the President denied the issue. Later, when evidence proved the coal was substandard, the Government admitted the coal was low quality but claimed no fraud had occurred.

Premadasa further referred to a report by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), which stated that expected electricity generation could not be achieved using the imported low-quality coal. He said that if the Government claims the Opposition is lying, then it must also declare the PUCSL report to be false.

He added that the PUCSL report stated that importing low-quality coal through nine ships had caused a loss of Rs. 8.4 billion, and that reduced generation could create a risk of power cuts.