If the government is planning to handover the Norochcholai coal power plant to China, that would create far-reaching problems in the power and energy sector of Sri Lanka, Minister of Technology and Research Patalie Champika Ranawaka, said in Colombo yesterday.

The Minister, who was previously the Power and Energy Minister, made this remark just twp days ahead of the Chinese President’s visit to Sri Lanka. It was widely speculated that Ranawaka was pulled out of the Power and Energy Ministry at the last cabinet reshuffle due to his strong anti-Chinese policies.

“The Norochcholai plant can actually fulfill 60% of the total energy requirements of Sri Lanka.  Therefore, this project should not end up in the hands of foreigners. One should not forget that issues involving the power and energy sector are capable of shaking up powerful regimes ” the Minister asserted addressing an energy forum in Colombo.

“If there are problems surrounding the Nororchcholai coal power plant project, it is the responsibility of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to address them. The Norochcholai plant will play a pivotal role in the power and energy sector of Sri Lanka over the next two decades. The country should be mindful of the ‘sovereignty’ of the energy sector and should not make any move to infringe upon that,” the Minister pointed out.

Ranawaka also said the country should have a robust mechanism to ‘audit’ the power and energy sector in a manner that would curtail corruption and misappropriation of resources.” We only have mechanisms to audit the financial sector and there is no independent body to audit and assess the developments of power, energy and technology sectors. It is important to have such mechanisms to restore public faith in the power and energy sector, “ he added.

Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU) between the government of Sri Lanka and the People’s Republic of China over the maintenance and technical operations of the Norochcholai coal power plant will be signed to coincide with the Chinese leader’s visit. However, Chinese officials have repeatedly assured that there is no plan to take over the operations of the Norochcholai coal power plant, which was constructed with the Chinese assistance.