Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila insisted again today that fuel will not be provided if the Electricity board does not may in dollars in the face of the current crisis. He made these remarks in a response to the Minister of Power and Energy Gamini Lokuge, who stated that a decision will be taken today regarding the supply of electricity if Minister Gammanpila does not provide fuel.
Minister Gammanpila said that 3,000 metric tons of fuel had been provided on two occasions three days ago to revive several power plants that had collapsed, but that the Ministry of Energy did not have enough fuel to maintain the status quo.
He says it will take about a week to import the fuel, even if the dollars are paid.
The Minister points out that the transport sector will have to be shut down if the existing fuel stocks are provided to the power supply.
Minister Gamini Lokuge said yesterday that a decision would be taken regarding power generation if fuel was not available.
Meanwhile, in a special revelation, Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa, Senior Vice President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, said that Rajapakse had invested in the bonds in such a hurry to pay off the international sovereign bond that was to be paid in dollar reserves.
