Lanka Coal Company (LCC) Ltd. has initiated the tender process to secure long-term coal suppliers with final selections expected around May or June, according to LCC Manager of Procurement Sujantha Ratnayake.

While tenders had already been called, the selection process was still underway, he told The Sunday Morning.

The procurement will follow an international bidding competition, ensuring a competitive selection process. However, when asked about the current naphtha stock, Ratnayake stated that an exact figure needed verification, but estimated it to be more than 700,000 MT. 

Commenting on the progress of the tender procedure, Ministry of Energy Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala confirmed that the process was proceeding smoothly.

“The ministry’s responsibility is to only ensure that the process starts and concludes within the correct timelines, and according to our judgement, it is being handled properly,” he said. 

Explaining the procurement process, Prof. Hemapala noted that once the coal company’s internal committee conducted preliminary evaluations of bids, it submitted its report to the ministry, which then made recommendations to the Cabinet for final approval.  

LCC was incorporated in January 2008 as the authorised agency for the procurement, import, and supply of coal to meet the full requirements for the coal-fired power stations of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). 

The Lakvijaya power complex in Puttalam houses three 300 MW coal plants, which operate continuously as base load units, supplying approximately 40% of the nation’s electricity demand.