CEB announces exit of Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya; new Chairman is Energy Secy. Prof. Hemapala

Wednesday, 4 June 2025 01:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya

Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala

Ending speculation and uncertainty Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya has formally resigned as the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Eng. (Prof.) K.T.M.U. Hemapala has been appointed as his successor. Hemapala is also the Secretary of the Power and Energy Ministry.

The formal notice of Dr. Siyambalapitiya’s resignation was notified to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) yesterday by the CEB. In its filing, the CEB said at the Board meeting held on 27 May 2025 it ratified the resignation of Chairman and Board Member (Non-Executive/Independent) with immediate effect.

CEB also said the Board ratified the appointment of Chairman/Member (Non-Executive/ Independent) Eng. (Prof.) K.T.M.U. Hemapala with immediate effect.

It said the formal announcement was deferred due to the delay in obtaining the profile of the new Chairman.

Hemapala has a BSc Eng (Hons) with first class from University of Moratuwa and completed PhD from University of Genova, Italy. He is a fellow member of Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka and a senior member of IEEE Power and Energy Society and IEEE Power Electronics Society.

He held the posts of Head of Department of Electrical Engineering, Dean of Faculty of Engineering in University of Moratuwa and currently also acts as a professor in University of Moratuwa.

He was a consultant for Microgrid related projects, Renewable Energy projects and numeric academic related projects.

Appointed in September last year, Dr. Siyambalapitiya had come under criticism from the renewable energy industry for being less enthusiastic and promoting other energy sources. He was also alleged to have had conflict of interests.

He was quoted in the media as saying he agreed to serve as Chairman for a limited period at the request of the President and cited personal reasons for stepping down. Others noted that resignation was prompted by unnecessary interference of the political authority and the PUCSL regarding the cost-reflective tariff.

News of his exit first surfaced in early May.

Dr. Siyambalapitiya graduated from University of Moratuwa, and earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He carries 40 years of experience in the energy sector of Sri Lanka, as well as in the region. He has worked in Ceylon Electricity Board, and in Saudi Arabia, on power sector planning and policy. He is a Chartered Engineer, and a Past President of Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association.

Separately, industry analysts questioned the selection of Power and Energy Secretary to be CEB’s new Chairman raising concerns of conflict of interest in that too.

Other members of the CEB Board are S. Jayasekara (Vice Chairman), A.K. Palamakumbura, N. Kumarathunga, M. Abeysekara and U.N. Mallawarachchi.

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