News

US$ 2bn worth of wind energy projects stuck in limbo

Published

1 year ago

January 29, 2023

editor

Four international companies — with an estimated US$ 2bn (Rs 729bn) worth of wind energy projects stuck in limbo for over two years — have sought an urgent meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe to break the impasse.

In a letter to the President, the local representatives of Mingyang Smart Energy Group Ltd, Envision Energy Ltd, Jade Power/Hydrostor and China Machinery Engineering Corporation pointed out that their projects were under consideration for more than two years by the Board of Investment (BOI), the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

They requested the President’s “urgent intervention to bring these projects to fruition as they are being long-delayed at massive cost to the country”.

The BOI is the lead agency in the initiative, the companies said, adding that all their projects were processed and recommended through expressions of interest called in 2021 by the State Ministry of Renewable Energy.

And, as early as October 2021, the previous Government’s Cabinet-Appointed Management Committee (CAMCI) had kicked off the approval process by seeking information from the SEA and the CEB on the respective investments, the letter said.

The companies, which have styled themselves as the Offshore Wind Energy Projects Promoters’ Group, claim that it was found their proposals fall within the scope allowed by a Cabinet subcommittee appointed in 2021—that is, that their applications do not conflict with any other applications for the locations mentioned. The subcommittee reportedly recommended on March 2022 that memorandums of understanding (MoU) be signed with six proponents (one has since dropped out).

“Of these, only one MoU was signed with Adani Green Energy,” the group states. “Subsequently, the CAMCI being non-operational, the remaining MoUs were not signed.”

While Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and State Investment Promotion Minister Dilum Amunugama have both sought to expedite the projects, they have made little progress.

(Sunday Times)

News

Bill suspending Parate Law, passed

Published

8 hours ago

May 7, 2024

editor

The Recovery of Loans by Banks (Special Provisions) (Amendment) Bill, which was amended to facilitate legal provisions for the suspension of Parate Law until December 15, 2024, was passed in Parliament without amendments today (May 07).

This amendment introduces legal provisions for the suspension of the Parate Law until December 15, 2024.

News

Mervyn granted bail

Published

9 hours ago

May 7, 2024

editor

Colombo Additional Magistrate Tharanga Mahawatta today (May 07) ordered the release of former Minister Mervyn Silva on bail over the SLRC assault incident in 2007.

He was ordered to be released on a surety of Rs. 500,000.

Silva was accused of threatening and assaulting a former journalist of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.

The Magistrate also ordered to immediately arrest former municipal councillor – Lal Peiris, who was named as the third suspect in the case, and produce him before the court.

The Magistrate also banned him from travelling overseas.

(Source : Lankadeepa)

News

Appeals Court rejects Wijeyadasa’s petition against interim order

Published

9 hours ago

May 7, 2024

editor

The Court of Appeal today dismissed the petition filed by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe seeking to suspend the interim injunction issued by the Colombo District Court preventing him from functioning as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was appointed as the Acting Chairman of SLFP during an executive committee meeting held on April 21, by the party’s faction led by former President Maithripala Sirisena.

On April 24, the Colombo District Court issued an injunction order preventing Minister Wijeyadasa from functioning as the Acting Chairman of the SLFP.

The court has also issued an injunction order preventing MP Sarathie Dushmantha Mithrapala from functioning as the General Secretary of SLFP.

Meanwhile, the court had issued another injunction preventing the implementation of the decisions taken by the SLFP Acting General Secretary.

The Colombo District Judge issued these injunctions after considering a plaint submitted by Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Member of Parliament Duminda Dissanayake.

It was mentioned in the order that these injunctions will remain in effect until May 08, 2024.

However, Minister Rajapakshe had later filed a petition with the Court of Appeal seeking to invalidate the recent order issued by the Colombo District Court preventing him from functioning as the Acting Chairman of SLFP.

(adaderana.lk)

(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)