Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Sunday Feb 22, 2026
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SOC on Infrastructure and Strategic Development Chairman S.M. Marikkar
Serious discrepancies in coal shipment documentation were highlighted at a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Infrastructure and Strategic Development held yesterday, prompting calls for independent verification and further scrutiny.
The meeting, chaired by MP S.M. Marikkar, was attended by officials from the Lakvijaya Power Plant, Lanka Coal Company (LCC), the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).
According to reports submitted by the CEB, including load port reports, discharge port reports, and plant-level assessments, inconsistencies emerged as the load and discharge port data did not align with the findings of the Lakvijaya Power Plant.
Plant reports indicated that the first three coal shipments recorded a Gross Calorific Value (GCV) below 5,900 kcal/kg, raising concerns over fuel quality.
CEB documentation further noted that while energy losses incurred from the first shipment could be recovered through the imposition of penalties, losses from the subsequent shipments were not recoverable. This prompted questions regarding the reliability of the Indian laboratory reports that certified the coal quality, particularly as the losses from the first shipment appeared to have been fully recouped.
In response, the Committee Chair recommended that the Energy Ministry engage an independent laboratory to conduct fresh testing of the relevant coal consignments to verify the accuracy of the reports presented.
The Committee also took up recommendations made by the Auditor General (AG), including revising the requirements for company registration with the LCC to the pre-economic crisis framework that existed prior to 2023. Members stressed the need to implement these recommendations without delay.
Additionally, the Committee called for action against those responsible for failing to inform the Cabinet of Ministers about the AG’s recommendations.
The PUCSL was directed to calculate the actual financial loss incurred as a result of generating electricity using low-quality coal, with the aim of assessing the broader economic impact on the power sector and consumers.
The discussions signal heightened Parliamentary oversight of coal procurement and quality assurance processes amid ongoing concerns over transparency, accountability, and energy sector efficiency.
