China’s plans to contribute to Sri Lanka’s energy supply have been abandoned.
The Chinese embassy in Colombo made the announcement during a meeting between Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and the Indian Finance Minister and Foreign Minister in New Delhi.
On January 18, a Chinese company was approved by the Cabinet to set up a hybrid renewable energy system on the islands of Nagadeepa, Delft and Analativu off the Jaffna Peninsula.
China has announced that the project, which was awarded to Sino Sour Hybrid Technology, has been suspended and moved to the Maldives for security reasons.
Sino Sour Hybrid Technology has signed agreements to set up solar thermal power plants in 12 Maldives, which had to suspend the construction of a hybrid power system on three northern islands in Sri Lanka due to ‘security reasons’, the Chinese embassy in Colombo said.
According to the Indian media, China is the third party mentioned by India.
In February, India reported that India had proposed to set up its own energy project with $ 12 million in aid to Sri Lanka to replace the Chinese project, which is being built about 50 km off the coast of Tamil Nadu.
Maldives Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shona announced on November 29 that an agreement had been signed with a Chinese company to set up a power project in all 12 islands in the Atoll, south of the Mal capital.
Governments in Sri Lanka and India have not commented on the matter.