Fuel shortage manufactured to further ulterior motives
Parliamentary watchdog the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that a loss of Rs. 594 billion was incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) from 2013 to 2024.
COPE Chairman MP Dr Nishantha Samaraweera said that a majority of the CEB’s assets and funds had been distributed among private entities.
This was disclosed during a recent meeting between the COPE and CEB authorities.
“The Department does not make the necessary estimations and does not stick to the generation plan. The revenue has also been distributed through various means. The CEB is a burden for the nation now. Do you not agree that this state entity needs to be restructured?” he questioned.
Dr. Samaraweera said that a forensic audit will be conducted into the CEB, as it has become a serious issue.
The Committee has also found that Lanka’s recent energy crisis—marked by shortages of electricity, fuel, and gas—was deliberately manufactured under the pretext of the economic collapse, with the intention of fulfilling undisclosed objectives.
Dr. Samaraweera announced that a formal investigation would be launched into the matter. The session focused on the CEB and its affiliated entities, including Lanka Transformers Ltd (LTL). Dr. Samaraweera accused certain officials and institutions of misusing public funds, stating that Rs. 5,943,680,000 had been mishandled. “This is not a trivial loss. Funds that should have remained within the institution were diverted for personal use,” he said.
He criticised the sudden increase in electricity tariffs, noting that power cuts lasting up to 18.5 hours were imposed during critical periods, such as school examinations, only to be lifted immediately after tariff hikes were approved in Parliament. “This was a calculated move to justify price increases,” he added.
The COPE Chairman also pointed to artificial shortages of gas, stating, “We are not saying there was a shortage. We are saying it was created.” He alleged that the crisis was used to manipulate consumer behaviour and justify price surges, with gas prices rising from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 7,500. “Since then, there have been no (LP Gas Cylinder) explosions. That’s the real story,” he said.