During the latest session of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), a concerning revelation surfaced regarding the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
The committee disclosed that approximately 130 engineers have departed from the CEB's workforce in recent times, raising significant operational challenges for the utility provider.
In response to inquiries posed by MP Madhura Withanage during the COPE assembly, Mr. Palitha Perera, the Deputy Managing Director of CEB, unveiled that the organization currently grapples with a staggering 330 vacancies for engineering positions.
"130 engineers have resigned over the course of last year and the initial four months of this year," stated Mr. Perera, emphasizing the critical shortage resulting from the absence of recruitment drives to fill positions left vacant due to retirements.
Moreover, the COPE meeting brought to light the financial ramifications of the CEB's operational decisions. It was disclosed that the utility provider incurred significant losses, amounting to billions of rupees, due to emergency power purchases. These losses were exacerbated by the decision not to proceed with the acquisition of the Ace Power Station when it was initially proposed, leaving the CEB in a precarious financial position.
