General23 February 2026

Coal scam losses equivalent to 40 years of MP pensions

Financial losses incurred by importing substandard coal are equal to the amount required to pay parliamentary pensions for 40 years, according to the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP).

FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda stated during a press conference today (22) that the government even attempted to suppress laboratory reports to hide the poor quality of the coal. A major controversy recently erupted following revelations that coal imported through an Indian company for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant failed to meet required standards.

Amidst these developments, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) recently submitted a letter to the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategy. The document provides a detailed breakdown of the estimated direct financial losses resulting from generating electricity using the coal from the eight ships imported so far.
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