COLOMBO, Feb 5 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Lanka Coal Company, incorporated to procure and supply coal for coal-fired thermal plants of Sri Lanka, yesterday, requested over 12 million U.S. dollars, to buy coal for power plants.
Chairman of the Lanka Coal Company, Shehan Sumanasekara, told media that, he has asked the money from Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera.
The Lanka Coal Company needs two million metric tonnes of coal annually, or 33 ship loads, to manage energy needs, he said.
Earlier, Ceylon Electricity Board, the state-owned electricity producer, warned that, without a continuous supply of coal, the country may face extended power cuts in the dry season.
Sri Lanka has been experiencing daily power cuts since early 2022, due to foreign reserve shortages. About 45 percent of the country’s electricity is generated by thermal power, which relies on the import of fuel.– NNN-XINHUA
