CEB Chairman rejects alleged Iranian involvement in Nuclear study

Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Udaya Sri Kariyawasam this week dismissed reports and allegations of Iranian involvement in a nuclear power project in Sri Lanka, saying it was completely wrong.

Asked by The Sunday Times FT about reports in some sections of the media about this connection at a time when the Iranian President was visiting the country, Kariwayasam said the advertisements that the CEB has been running for the past few weeks to hold a dialogue on a 'Nuclear Power Study Project' with experts in the fields of energy economics, medical science, atomic energy, nuclear engineering and power generation amongst others, is for research purposes due to a lack of information on the subject. "When I have inquired about previous studies over the past year, I couldn't find a single document so that is a shame," he said.

"It is really a study group because in another 10 or 20 years, if somebody wants to find some literature for further research in the future, we must have some studies from time to time," Kariyawasam added. "We need to create that history and we need extnsive research in Sri Lanka. It will be useful for academics, universities and people in the industry to have this empirical research."

Kariyawasam said he has received responses to the CEB advertisement and those who have expressed interest in participating in the dialogue will be called for meetings in the future although he did not give a time frame.