Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa has accused the government of corruption concerning the recently approved Solar Power Project in Killinochchi.
Issuing a special statement, MP Premadasa alleged that the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with an Australia-based firm – United Solar Energy raises doubts as the company engages in solar panel distribution and not Battery Storage projects.
Noting that the capacity of the largest solar energy farm in Australia is 400Mw, while the capacity of the planned solar farm is 700Mw, the Opposition leader questions how a company with lack of expertise can handle such a project.
Mr. Premadasa also states that according to estimates, the project requires a surface area of 782 acres while the project lifetime is stated as 35 years despite the lifetime of a solar panel is 25 years.
Noting that United Solar Energy is founded and chaired by Richard Vargas who is a solar panel agent and distributor, the opposition leader says that a one Sujeewa Nishantha from Hambantota is working as the company accountant. In addition, Board members Kero Thilakarathne, Alex Chandrasiri and Shan Balasuriya are working as a real estate agent, a hotel food & beverage manager and a website designer respectively, Mr. Premadasa adds, questioning whether such people are capable of undertaking such a mammoth project.
MP Premadasa’s allegations come after the Cabinet this week approved to enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with United Solar Group of Australia for the 700 MW Solar Power Project with a 1500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System.
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera announced the decision on X earlier this week.
He further said that the Solar Power Project will be established with a Foreign Direct Investment of USD 1,727 million and the power project will be installed on the surface of the Poonakary Tank in the Kilinochchi District in the Northern province of Sri Lanka.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Centre for Good Governance of India (NCGG) and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) was signed during the State Visit of President of Sri Lanka, H.E. Anura Kumara Disanayaka to India in December 2024 for training and capacity building of 1500 Sri Lankan civil service officers over a period of five years.
The first program under the MoU was successfully held at NCGG from 21 April to 02 May 2025, and was attended by 41 officers. Based on the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, the theme of the program was ‘digitization in governance’. The program featured a series of sessions focused on key areas such as digital service delivery, digital public infrastructure, financial inclusion through digital payments, and innovations in public grievance redressal systems. Senior officials and domain experts delivered presentations on flagship Indian initiatives in the digital domain, including Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, e-Office, GeM, Aadhaar, PM Gati Shakti, among others.
At an interaction session with participants in the inaugural program organized on 08 May 2025 at SLIDA, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha underscored that capacity building is an important pillar of the development cooperation between the two countries, with Sri Lanka being among the largest recipients of scholarships and capacity building initiatives offered by India. He highlighted that, demonstrating India’s continued commitment to enhancing capacity-building opportunities for Sri Lankans, Prime Minister of India had announced additional training avenues to 700 Sri Lankan citizens annually during his recent State visit. In that context, the High Commissioner said that the participants in the first NCGG-SLIDA programme also represented the first set of Sri Lankan nationals to receive training as part of the significantly enhanced capacity-building endeavour of India that will now benefit 1000 Sri Lankans annually.
The interaction session was also attended by Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Mr S. Aloka Bandara; Director General of SLIDA, Mr A.V. Janadara; senior officials and faculty members of SLIDA; among others.
In view of the highly positive feedback from the participants in the inaugural NCGG-SLIDA program, based on request from SLIDA, a second program on the same theme under the MoU is now being planned for another batch of around 40 officers for early June 2025.
Another Special Forces (SF) soldier who was onboard the SLAF Bell 212 helicopter that crashed into the Maduru Oya Reservoir this morning (May 09) has succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the hospital.
This brings the death toll from the fatal accident to six.
Six other armed forces personnel, who sustained injuries in the incident, are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
(Previous news 2025 May 09 – 11.31.a.m.)
5 dead in Bell 212 crash
Five military personnel have been confirmed dead in the crash of a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Bell 212 helicopter into the Maduru Oya Reservoir earlier this morning (May 09. According to the SLAF Spokesperson Group Captain Eranda Geeganage, the deceased include three members of the Sri Lanka Army’s Special Forces and two Air Force personnel.
The aircraft was carrying a total of 12 individuals, including six Army Special Forces members, two Air Force Regiment Special Forces personnel, two other Air Force members, and two pilots.
The Election Commission has instructed all candidates who contested the 2925 Local Government (LG) Elections to submit their campaign income and expenditure reports on or before May 28.
A statement by the Commission emphasized that candidates are required to prepare and submit their financial disclosures in line with the provisions of the Election Expenditure Regulation Act No. 03 of 2023. These reports must be handed over to the Returning Officers of the respective electoral districts.
Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake stated that this process is part of the Commission’s efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process.