CEB Engineers’ Union urges Parliamentary review of power sector reforms

Cites legal violations and governance lapses

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The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) has called on Parliament's Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development to intervene in the ongoing electricity sector reforms, alleging that the process is being carried out in violation of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024 and its 2025 amendment.

In a detailed submission to the Committee, the union warned that the reforms, including employee assignations, company restructuring, and asset transfers, are proceeding without a coherent strategic plan, statutory compliance, or adequate stakeholder consultation. The CEBEU said the process risks undermining institutional stability, employee trust, and national energy security unless corrective action and parliamentary oversight are urgently introduced.

The CEBEU letter in full is as follows:

REQUEST for the intervention of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development regarding the ongoing electricity sector reforms

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU), as the main representative body of engineering professionals within the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and a key stakeholder in the electricity sector, wishes to bring to the attention of the Hon. Members of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development a series of serious concerns regarding how the ongoing electricity sector reforms are currently being implemented in violation of the law, specifically the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024 and the Electricity (Amendment) Act No. 14 of 2025.

While CEBEU has consistently extended its professional support toward a reform process that is transparent, technically sound, and beneficial to the public, we regret to note that the current process has deviated from the principles of good governance, institutional accountability, and statutory compliance envisioned under the Act.