By Ifham Nizam
Legal action would be taken against the powerful Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) and CEB’s Joint Trade Alliance, for stating that a 10-hour power cut was on the cards due to coal stocks running out at the Norochcholai Power Plant Complex, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told journalists yesterday.
He stressed that there was no truth in the trade unionists’ claim.
However, a senior Board member told The Island that there would be an issue if they don’t get the remaining 29 coal shipments at the earliest before the onset of rough seas.
CEB Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon believes that with the upcoming tariff hike, the CEB would be in a position to contribute a 24-hour electricity supply.
Earlier, Electricity Sector Regulator Chief Janaka Ratnayake warned that the duration of daily power interruptions will have to be extended in January unless coal stocks were imported expeditiously. Although the CEB Management claims they had received nine shipments to date. “We are short of money, with the expected funds we will get the 29 shipments without further delay”, Ratnayake said.
Meanwhile, Minister Wijesekera said: “I have instructed the CEB Chairman, and the Ministry Secretary to take legal action against the Union’s President, based on instructions of the Attorney General. A trade union should have discipline. It cannot act like a terrorist group.”