Minister of Power Gaimini Lokuge says that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will hold discussions with Lanka IOC on the possibility of obtaining fuel stocks required for the generation of electricity in order to maintain an uninterrupted power supply. 

He said that the CEB will seek fuel supplies necessary to generate power until January 22 until the Norochcholai power plant in restored. 

“We will look whether we can obtain some fuel from the IOC company at least for the next couple of days,” the minister said, adding that the Chairman of CEB has been instructed to start talks with Lanka IOC on this tomorrow (18). 

“We have to somehow find fuel to operate until January 22.”

Asked whether the CEB had requested for fuel from the state-run petroleum corporation, the minister said that there is no need to make a request as it is an annual order and that the CPC has to supply fuel for that annual order. 

He said that fuel orders are not made on a daily basis and that when the CEB plans out the year it has to make the necessary allocations for the CEB, power plant, private vehicles etc.

He said that the CPC brings down fuel according to that plan and the CEB expects the petroleum corporations to import the required fuel stocks accordingly. 

Meanwhile the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Ajith Nivard Cabraal says that they would not allow any shortage of fuel to be caused as a result of the shortage of US dollars. 

“If at any time the amount of US dollars in those banks are less than the amount we need, the Central Bank is bound to fill that gap. I have discussed this with the President, the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Therefore, in such a case, steps will be taken to provide that money.”

“Therefore, we do not expect to have any shortage because there are no dollars. That will not happen,” he told Ada Derana.