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CEB engineers seek major changes in power sector reform procedure
View(s):By Niranjala Ariyawansha
“We, as CEBEU, earnestly request your intervention in arranging a consultative process before the approval of the electricity sector reform bill by the Cabinet of Ministers. This could be facilitated through a cabinet subcommittee or any other suitable mechanism that ensures the involvement of all key stakeholders,” the engineers’ union said in a letter.
Last December, the draft bill was with the Cabinet for three weeks, but the opposition parties said in parliament that it contained significant errors, and the same was highlighted by industry experts. Ultimately, the Ministry had to withdraw the bill, which was already approved by the Cabinet and gazetted.
The letter stated, “Regrettably, the same process has been repeated for the past two months, with another bill being drafted in secrecy and without any stakeholder consultation. None of the stakeholders, including the management of CEB, has seen the new bill, which is now about to be submitted for cabinet approval.”
The CEBEU has written to request the intervention of the President in the current power sector reforms, especially where the restructuring of the CEB is concerned. The union said CEB employees, especially the engineers, believe that a proper reform process could not materialise without a coherent consultation with key stakeholders, including the engineers and unions.
“Also, we wish to emphasise that restructuring only the CEB would not solve every problem in the power sector, including key issues such as policy inconsistency, high electricity costs, independence of the regulator (PUCSL), and non-implementation of the long-term generation expansion plan,” the letter noted.
Meanwhile, officials claim that several critical aspects have been overlooked in this latest draft, despite spending more than three months redrafting it.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara is set to submit the draft bill to the cabinet tomorrow.
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