Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised concerns over the government’s inconsistency in promoting solar power, despite earlier pledges to prioritise renewable energy.
Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa said that although the government, in its policy statement (page 165), proposed to add 2000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid, recent decisions taken by the administration contradict this commitment.
Highlighting the importance of solar energy as a key player in renewable and environmentally-friendly power generation, the Opposition Leader questioned why the government’s actions have not aligned with its stated policies.
He further inquired about the number of existing coal and diesel power plants in the country, including those not owned by the government, and requested data on the cost of generating one unit of electricity using diesel, coal, hydro, and solar sources. He also asked for a comparison with the cost of purchasing a unit of power from private power plants.
Premadasa sought clarification on the megawatt contributions made to the national grid through various types of power plants and the projected solar power generation under the CEB’s long-term generation plan. He emphasised the need to disclose the total installed solar power capacity in the country, including ground-mounted and rooftop solar projects, along with the unit rates paid for these contributions.
The Opposition Leader also questioned how many tenders had been issued for ground-mounted solar power projects and how many had received approval.
Citing a circular issued on March 17, 2025, Premadasa claimed that the current government had imposed limits on solar power systems, which he described as a setback to solar energy production and a betrayal of public trust. (Newswire)
