Kerawalapitiya power plant: Reveal secret deal with New Fortress Energy :JVP urges Govt.

• New Fortress Energy company is running into bankruptcy  
• It was a debt-ridden company with a debt of US$ 1240 million by March 2021

By Ajith Siriwardana  

Claiming that the Kerawalapitiya Power plant and the contract to supply LNG to the country’s power plants have been secretly handed over to New Fortress Energy company which was running into bankruptcy, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the Government to reveal the agreement to the country.  

Former JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told a news conference that the Government had signed the agreement violating tender procedures and without the knowledge of Parliament or the Cabinet.  

He said the Government had not revealed the agreement even after a month has elapsed now, since it was signed.  

He said this agreement was detrimental to the country as it would create a monopoly in the energy sector, incur a huge overall loss  due to massive fraud and corruption and would pave the way for the US to unduly interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.  

He said this US based New Fortress Energy company was not even among the first 250 Companies that supplies LNG in the world and added that it was a debt-ridden company with a debt of US$ 1240 million by March 2021.  
“It has only US$ 360.1 million as its reserves. It has recorded continual collapse in its shares at the US share market. It should be revealed who  decided to choose a bankrupt Company through this secret deal,” he asked.  
Dr. Jayatissa said this controversial agreement was signed ignoring the Power and Energy Minister and the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).   He said it was estimated that the country would incur a loss of US$ 6,000 million due to this contract to supply Liquified Gas to power plants for ten years.  

“Normally, Kerawalapitiya power plant is used to generate electricity only between 6 pm to 12 pm. Only 700,000 gallons of gas per day. However, according to the agreement, Sri Lanka should pay for 1.2 million gallons of gas per day whether we use that amount or not,” he said.