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Committee to decide on approving renewable energy projects 

22 Feb 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera  Solar Power, Wind, and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development State Ministry has taken steps to entrust the approval or rejection of renewable energy projects under the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) within a period of a month from the submission of the project application, to a committee of 20 members, in order to avoid unnecessary delays in the process. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, last Friday (18), visited the SLSEA and one purpose of the said visit was to look into the delays in approving renewable energy projects for which applications had been submitted. When contacted by The Morning to inquire into the steps that have been taken to avoid such delays, Solar Power, Wind, and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development State Ministry Secretary K.H.D.K. Samarakoon said that a 20-member committee representing all the institutions involved in approving or declining the project proposals, such as the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the Forest Department, and the Wildlife Conservation Department, has been assigned to approve or decline the relevant project proposals within a month of their submission. “This committee, which meets once a month, is tasked with approving or declining the project proposals within a period of one month. The necessary regulations have been introduced by now. If the committee does not approve or decline any project proposal within a month, they will be considered as approved,” he added. Speaking further, he said: “However, it is not possible to obtain environmental clearance in such a hurry as such matters need to be studied at length. It will take some time to obtain such approval. Therefore, the rest of the project work can be continued until such approval is granted. At the outset of the process, a condition is imposed that the project must be halted if it does not receive environmental approval.”  He also explained certain reasons for delays in approving projects. “The SLSEA approves only the potential of a project. However, a land is needed for any project, and the relevant approval should be obtained for a land. When it comes to something like a mini hydropower plant, it must obtain the necessary approval to obtain water. All these processes may have caused certain delays. However, we hope to minimise such delays to the fullest possible extent by implementing the aforesaid programme.”  Rajapaksa made an unannounced visit to the SLSEA at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7 last Friday. The purpose of the President’s visit was to meet the officials of the SLSEA and to make inquiries about the potential of utilising renewable sources, such as water, solar, and wind for power generation. Another purpose of the visit was to look into the delays in approving renewable energy projects for which applications had been submitted.


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