Sajith slams govt for sabotaging solar energy growth

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has condemned the government’s decision to restrict new rooftop solar agreements to the Net+ scheme as erroneous and unfair, saying that it endangers electricity costs, system stability and the power supply for 2027.

He raised the matter in Parliament on Wednesday through a question under Standing Order 27(2).

The Opposition Leader said solar capacity in Sri Lanka had grown from 3 MW in 2013 to 2,502 MW, and that more than 150,000 rooftop systems were in place by July, against a target of one million.

He described solar as a renewable source that can be deployed quickly.

Premadasa said a unit of solar electricity costs Rs. 28, while a unit from fuel-based plants costs between Rs. 51 and Rs. 129.

He also said that oil supplies 16.5 percent of the country’s energy but accounts for 43 percent of total generation expenditure.

Suspension of net metering and net accounting

The Opposition Leader said the Energy Ministry, through letter PE/DEV/03/01-RT dated 11 September 2026, limited new rooftop solar agreements to the Net+ scheme.

This suspended the Net Metering and Net Accounting methods, which he said had favoured solar consumers and entrepreneurs.

He noted that if additional rooftop solar and battery systems were to be used to meet the supply challenge, the government must disclose the solar capacity and battery storage involved.

He also asked the government to present the balanced tariff it proposes for the new arrangement.

Premadasa further demanded to know why the Sahasdanavi power plant was being given greater opportunities to generate electricity when rooftop generation and battery systems could lower costs.

He asked why the government favoured high-cost generation and said it must determine how much additional electricity the Yugadanavi and Sobadanavi plants had produced, since their operations bypassed Public Utilities Commission regulations.

He expressed regret over what he called the resurgence of the fuel-based and thermal power plant mafias.

He also questioned how the government intended to reach the target of one million rooftop systems, including whether it would provide tax relief for such installations.