New Fortress - Kerawalapitiya Deal: Coalition parties discuss controversial agreement

COLOMBO (News 1st); The leaders of multiple political parties affiliated with the government met at the Sri Lanka Community Party Head Office to discuss the controversy surrounding the Kerawalapitiya LNG power plant.

State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara from the SLPF, Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Minister Wimal Weerawansa from the NFF, Professor Tissa Vitharana, Weerasumana Weerasinghe and Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero also took part in the meeting.

Several issues were discussed at length, including the transfer of 40 percent of shares of the Kerawalapitiya thermal power plant to a US firm.

Minister Weerawansa said the matter will be discussed with the President as soon as he returns from the US.

He was seen laughing when asked if the parties would leave the government.

On Sunday (19), JVP Leader Anura Kumara has alleged that the government has signed a midnight agreement with a US firm for electricity generation and the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In early July 2021, New Fortress Energy Inc. announced that it has signed a Framework Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to construct a new offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving, storage and regasification terminal.

The Terminal will be located off the coast of Colombo to supply gas to the country’s power plants, primarily located in the Kerawalapitiya Power Complex.

The Kerawalapitiya Power Complex consists of 300 MW in operation today and is ultimately expected to grow to over 1,000 MW by 2025.

As part of the Agreement, New Fortress will supply natural gas to the existing 300 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant and is negotiating the purchase of the Government’s 40% stake in the company that owns the power plant.

This power plant is currently under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) to provide electricity to the national grid that extends through 2035. The plant consists of General Electric turbines and was configured to run on natural gas in combined cycle.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake alleged the agreement was already signed in a backdrop where the cabinet paper for this project, was not seen by any cabinet minister, thought it was approved.

‘The agreement was signed at 12:06 AM on Saturday (18). Thereafter the President flew off to the US,” said Dissanayake.

The JVP leader warned that whoever controls Sri Lanka’s energy sector will decide Sri Lanka’s Government.