Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila has informed the Ministry of Power that from now on, fuel will be provided to the Ceylon Electricity Board only if required US dollars are provided.
The Minister said that several power plants of the CEB were shut down last week due to lack of fuel and that 3,000 metric tons of diesel had been provided on two occasions to restore them.
He said that if the CEB can provide the required dollars, it would be possible to import and supply fuel, which would take some time.
He further emphasized that the CPC did not have enough fuel to supply the CEB and that vehicles would not be able to run if the existing fuel was used to generate electricity.
He said that if there is a shortage of fuel, the power supply could be managed by power cuts for few hours a day, but such a step cannot be done in terms of vehicle driving.
He also reminded that there is no middle ground except that petrol stations display that there is fuel and there is no fuel.
The Minister said that repayment of Rs. 920 million from the CEB and Rs. 6500 million from Sri Lankan Airlines were pending and both institutions have already been notified to settle the payments ASAP if they need fuel supplies.
Gammanpila has further said that Sri Lankan Airlines had given dollars for fuel supplies but the CEB had failed to provide such dollars.
The Minister said that urgent fuel request cannot be met at a time when the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is also facing a serious dollar crisis, adding that fuel could only be supplied if the required US dollars are provided.
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