The Ministry of Energy has been instructed by the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Infrastructure and Strategic Development to amend the Cabinet paper related to the proposed Sahasdhanavi Power Plant.

A session of the said SOC was held in the Parliament on Monday (25).

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika, who was also present at the session, claimed that the SOC instructed Energy Ministry Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala to amend the relevant Cabinet paper. “The proposed power plant was discussed at length during the session. Taking into account the explanations provided, the SOC directed that the Cabinet paper be revised. The ministry secretary agreed to do so.” Dhammika said.

Prof. Hemapala was not available for comment.

The ECA earlier raised questions over the accuracy of the calculations presented in the Cabinet paper. Dhammika said at the time that statements made by three institutions – the Public Utilities Commission, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), and Sahasdhanavi Limited itself – have confirmed that the cost estimates in the Cabinet paper are misleading and inaccurate.

Early this year, a power purchase agreement was signed between the CEB and Sahasdhanavi Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of LTL Holdings, for the development of a 350 megawatts dual-fuel liquefied natural gas power plant. Civil society groups and political parties have also formed a committee to review allegations of corruption and irregularities in the deal.