Sri Lanka Government: Public won’t pay for coal quality issue

The Sri Lankan government says the burden arising from the issue of substandard coal imports will not be passed on to the public, and action will be taken against the companies responsible to recover any losses.

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, said he has repeatedly stated that the coal quality issue will not be transferred to consumers. He added that the President and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) have also maintained the same position.

The Minister made these remarks while addressing the Cabinet decisions media briefing held at the Department of Government Information yesterday (June 2).

Dr. Jayatissa said there is an established procedure for dealing with shipments of substandard coal and that the government will follow that process. He stressed that the burden resulting from the issue would not be imposed on the public.

He noted that the relevant procedures had not been properly followed in the past and that penalties had not been imposed. However, he said a certain amount of US dollars has already been withheld as part of the current process.

The Minister further stated that if the withheld amount is not sufficient to cover the losses, the government will take legal action against the companies concerned to recover the remaining amount.

He also recalled that a Presidential Commission had been appointed to investigate the matter. According to Dr. Jayatissa, submissions to the commission were accepted until May 22, 2026, and the commission has been given full powers to carry out its work.

He added that the commission will make the relevant decisions following its investigations.