Sri Lanka appoints committee to review Adani wind power projects in Mannar, Pooneryn

The Sri Lankan government on Saturday said it has appointed a committee to review the Adani Green Energy wind power projects in Mannar and Pooneryn districts.

At the same time, it said there was no decision to cancel the projects awarded to the Indian conglomerate.

Speaking to reporters here, government spokesperson Nalinda Jayathissa clarified that the government decided against signing an agreement based on the power purchase prices negotiated by the previous administration in 2023.

“There was no decision to cancel the Mannar and Pooneryn projects, but rather to appoint a committee to review them. The committee has started its work, and once the review is complete, we will determine what changes need to be made,” he said.

The previous government of Ranil Wickremesinghe in May last year signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for the 484 MW Adani wind plants at a rate of USD 0.826 per unit. This decision drew criticism as local bidders reportedly offered lower unit prices.

“We are not agreeable to the prices proposed. As a result, the previous pricing agreement was revoked, and the committee was tasked with revising the project, including its pricing structure,” Jayathissa said.

He also said that five court cases, mostly filed by environmental organisations, are pending against the Adani agreement.

Environmental NGOs had filed petitions claiming that the projects endanger biodiversity and pose a threat to migratory birds.