Electricity charges will go up due to LNG tender fiasco – CaFFE/CHR .

An increase in the electricity charges is a certainty due to a clash between the officialdom and the political authority over the tender for the construction of the LNG power plant at Kerawalapitiya, says CaFFE/CHR executive director Keerthi Tennakoon.

He says in a statement that while the power ministry tries to award
the tender to Korea’s Samsung, chosen on recommendation by the technical evaluation committee, the unsuccessful bidders with political connections attempt to sabotage it.

Due to their threats to officials of the technical evaluation and tender committees, administrative officers have resigned from the tender committee.

The ministry secretary is under pressure through the CCEM to open tenders by six other bidders who had not fulfilled the tender requirements.

In the meantime, CEB engineers and private diesel power generator owners bent on earning a big profit due to the sabotaging of the tender have proposed that the electricity charges be raised.

The statement stresses the tender should go ahead in a transparent manner and in accordance with proper technical evaluation.

It says Upul Jayasuriya lost his BOI chairmanship due to political pressure over investors for electricity buying.

The power ministry tenders are among the worst corrupt in the country, statement adds.

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