The CEB Engineers Union said they are awaiting proper guidelines from the Power and Energy Ministry to go ahead with the tenders for the combined cycle power plant in Kerawalapitiya and the diesel power plant in Hambantota.
Engineers Union President Athula Wanniarachchi said these type of projects, BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) needed clear procurement guidelines to be issued by the Government and everything has been held up as a result.
The two power plants were not in the long term generation plan of the CEB.
It was planned after the Sampur debacle.
As per the earlier long-term generation plan, the Indian Sampur coal power plant was to be commissioned in 2017.
The government has decided to build a 300 MW diesel plant in Kerawalapitiya and 170 MW diesel plant in Hambantota as a short term solution. The two plants are to be converted into LNG plants after four years.
“We will not face a severe crisis in 2017 but if the rains fail, there will be a power crisis in 2018 and 2019,” he said.
CEBEU President said said it was not fair to say the CEB management and the Engineers were dragging their feet over the two combined cycle plants when the problem lay somewhere else.
He added the ad-hoc construction of power plants outside the long term generation plan could aggravate the existing problem.