{
  "id": 15838771,
  "title": "Power cuts, low-grade coal and hypocrisy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/power-cuts-low-grade-coal-and-hypocrisy",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T00:00:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/power-cuts-low-grade-coal-and-hypocrisy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Power cuts have resurfaced in Sri Lanka, eliciting public discontent over the lack of electricity. The government's actions to mitigate this issue, however, have been questioned. The Lakvijaya (Norochcholai) power plant faced a shortfall due to the utilization of low-quality coal, necessitating a temporary increase in diesel power generation. Following a six-hour nationwide outage on Saturday, the government now asserts that power supply will return to normal soon. Yet, it remains uncertain whether the Norochcholai power complex will swiftly resume operations. Coal-fired plants typically require several days to return to service following a shutdown, contingent on the fault's nature and required repairs. It is uncertain if Norochcholai has experienced significant component damage, which could keep it offline for weeks. Operating oil-fired power plants to compensate for Norochcholai's generation loss is financially burdensome, with the Opposition claiming that the country's dependence on diesel-powered generation costs over Rs. 1.3 billion daily. Moreover, there exists a substantial global diesel supply shortage, with the International Energy Agency forecasting a tight market well into 2027. The government contends that diesel is heavily subsidized, making it infeasible to rely on diesel-fired power plants for an extended period to compensate for the loss of generation at Norochcholai. Consequently, questions arise regarding whether low-grade coal played a role in the Norochcholai power plant failure, despite the government and the National System Operator maintaining that coal quality was not a factor. Plant shutdowns due to substandard coal are not unprecedented, and experts have pointed out that Sri Lanka is not alone in experiencing the technical consequences of burning low-quality coal for power generation. There have been similar coal-fired power plant failures in China, attributed to excessive sulphur content and combustion conditions leading to severe boiler tube corrosion. Research on India's coal-fired power industry has highlighted operational issues associated with ash-rich, abrasive fuel. These international examples emphasize the significance of enforcing coal-quality specifications and conducting independent tests. Therefore, a transparent technical investigation is required to determine what caused the Norochcholai plant shutdown. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) recently summoned Prof. G. L. Peiris for a statement, following an investment promotion meeting chaired by him during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. Peiris informed the media that inquiries into corruption allegations are acceptable, provided they do not silence Opposition politicians. Surprisingly, the CIABOC and police seem less diligent in investigating complaints against those involved in procuring substandard coal, believed to have caused the Lakvijaya power plant shutdown and a substantial loss to the state. The Opposition asserts that the coal scandal is more significant than the 2015 Treasury bond scam. Consequently, can the government genuinely claim that the rule of law has been restored and that nobody is above the law under its watch?",
  "summary": "Wednesday 21st October, 2026 Power cuts have returned, much to the resentment of the public. They however did not come as a surprise. Given the generation shortfall at Lakvijaya (Norochcholai) power plant due to the use of low-quality coal, power cuts were expected much earlier, but the government stepped up diesel power generation to avert […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}