Sunday Sep 28, 2025
Sunday Sep 28, 2025
Tuesday, 23 September 2025 02:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Anura Kumara Disanayake
President Anura Kumara Disanayake yesterday affirmed the Government’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s energy sovereignty, making it clear that there is no intention to hand over the country’s power sector to private interests.
Addressing a progress review meeting on the ongoing power sector reforms at the Presidential Secretariat, the President stressed that energy independence is key to economic growth, national security and long-term stability.
He underscored that the objective of the reforms is not privatisation, but rather the elimination of inefficiencies within the existing framework to create a more streamlined and effective system.
The meeting was attended by members of the committee overseeing the reforms as well as directors of the newly established entities, including Electricity Distribution Lanka Ltd., National Transmission Network Service Provider Ltd., Electricity Generation Lanka Ltd., and National System Operator Ltd.
Disanayake said the current structure of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) was outdated and incapable of meeting the country’s evolving needs.
He explained that the new framework is designed to improve efficiency, reliability and affordability, whilst ensuring that energy independence remains firmly under State control.
The President also assured employees that no jobs, positions, or salary scales would be diminished during the transition and that all rights and entitlements under the CEB would be preserved. Outstanding employee-related issues specific to the CEB, he pledged, would be addressed before full integration into the new system.
“Institutional structures exist not only for their employees but for the country and its people. If this new framework allows us to deliver electricity more efficiently, continuously and at fair prices, it will be a victory both for the Government and the workers,” the President noted, reiterating that the reforms are not a sale or transfer of ownership but a transformation aligned with global development practices.
The discussions also covered challenges and proposals linked to the reform process, with the President highlighting the urgency of adopting a modern institutional framework to drive the sector’s transformation.
He reassured stakeholders that the Government remains fully committed to protecting workers’ rights while ensuring that the power sector continues to function as a State-owned entity serving national interests.
Disanayake expressed his appreciation to committee members for their contributions. Energy Minister Eng. Kumara Jayakody, Energy Ministry Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala, and a number of senior officials from the CEB were also present.
