COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody resigned on Friday after the president ordered an investigation into allegations of large-scale corruption in coal imports, the government said.
The resignation follows a government audit last week that found substandard coal prevented a 900-megawatt thermal power plant — the country’s biggest — from operating at full capacity.
To cover the shortfall, the state utility relied on more expensive diesel generation during a global energy crunch sparked by the Middle East conflict.
“President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate
whether any irregularities or unlawful activities took place in relation to the importation of coal,” his office said.
