President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has extended the deadline of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into coal imports until 16 December 2026, the date by which it must submit its final report.
The President extended the term under Section 4 of the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Law, No. 7 of 1978. The Commission looks into alleged irregularities in Sri Lanka’s coal imports and coal-fired power generation.
It was established on 17 April 2026 by Gazette Extraordinary No. 2484/08. Supreme Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga chairs it, and Court of Appeal Justice Aditya Patabendige and High Court Judge Sanjeewa Somaratne are its members. Former Ministry Secretary P. V. Bandulasena is its secretary.
The inquiry covers the period from the start of coal-based power generation in Sri Lanka until 16 April 2026. It is to determine whether irregularities or unlawful acts occurred in importing coal and generating electricity through the state-owned Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd or its successor entities.
The Commission will examine coal procurement procedures and decide whether the government suffered financial losses. It will also investigate allegations that substandard coal was imported, looking at the whole process from procurement and supply to quality testing, power plant operations and the use of the coal.
It must assess whether power plants using imported coal reached their expected levels of efficiency, and look into any legal, financial or other wrongdoing linked to poor-quality coal. It will also establish whether contractual obligations were breached and, if so, whether payments were withheld or other corrective steps taken.
The Commission is required to identify those responsible for any wrongdoing, including political authorities, public officials, Lanka Coal Company officers, suppliers and their representatives, and to recommend action against them. It will also propose reforms to prevent a recurrence and to strengthen governance in coal procurement and power generation.
The Commission may also investigate any other irregularities it finds in these areas during the period under review.
Background
Lakvijaya Power Station in Norochcholai is Sri Lanka’s only coal-fired power plant. Former Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) Chairman Bandula Chandrasekera said problems began in December 2025, when the plant started using coal from a new supplier. He said the Auditor General challenged the selection of that supplier in a special report to Parliament in April.
The extension comes while scheduled power cuts are in force. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) approved one-hour evening cuts from 19 to 21 October, after all three Norochcholai units went offline following a countrywide power failure on Saturday.
What it means
The Commission’s final report is now due by 16 December. Its findings on coal quality, losses to the state and responsibility are expected to bear on how coal is bought for the plant in future.
The Commission is also tasked with proposing reforms to coal procurement. Those recommendations bear directly on the reliability of electricity supply for households and businesses.
