3. Establishment of the National Electricity Advisory Council

The Council shall be charged with the responsibility of advising the Minister in formulating the national electricity policy in respect of -

matters relating to the Electricity Industry and formulation of the national electricity policy in terms of section 4 of this Act;

matters relating to the implementation of the

on the modalities relating to the formulation of proposals and plans for the development of the

optimal utilisation of indigenous energy resources, including renewable energy, modern technologies and energy efficiency to meet the electricity demand at lowest economic cost;

matters related to the preparation of the Long Term

matters relating to the formulation of the national tariff policy, in consultation with the Ministry of

any other matter connected with or arising out of the national electricity policy.

The Council may, in discharging its responsibilities under this subsection, consult the relevant stakeholders and shall act in good faith and in the best interests of the country and the consumers.

Secretary to the Ministry of the Minister;

Director General of the Department of National

Director General of Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy

a person who has expertise, reached eminence and has at least twenty years of experience in the field of energy policy making;

a person who has expertise, reached eminence and has at least twenty years of experience in economics;

a person who has expertise, reached eminence and has at least twenty years of experience in the field of power system planning and operation; and

a person who has expertise, reached eminence and has at least twenty years of experience in the field of renewable energy, energy transition and finance.

Every member of the Council, before assuming office shall submit to the Minister, a general disclosure of his interests as at the date of appointment.

Any member of the Council who is directly or indirectly interested in any matter that is to be taken up before the Council shall disclose the nature of such interest to the Council and shall not take part in any deliberation or decision of the Council with regard to that matter.

The Council shall, with the approval of the

The Director General shall be responsible for the administration of the affairs of the Council and carry out the tasks assigned to him, from time to time, by the Council.

The Minister may co-opt persons with specific qualifications and expertise to be present at meetings of the

Such persons shall participate in and assist at any meeting at which the issue requiring their expertise is being discussed so however, shall not be entitled to vote on any matter so discussed.

A person shall be disqualified from being appointed or continued to be a member of the Council, if such person -

is not or ceases to be a citizen of Sri Lanka;

is or has been within three years prior to being appointed, a Member of Parliament, a Provincial

is a connected person having any financial or other interest amounting to a conflict of interest directly or indirectly in any entity in the Electricity

is under any written law in force in Sri Lanka found or declared to be of unsound mind;

is a person who has been declared an insolvent or bankrupt under any written law in Sri Lanka or in any other country, is undischarged insolvent or bankrupt;

has been convicted of any criminal offence by any court in Sri Lanka or in any other country; or

is subject to any mental or physical disability which precludes such person from discharging the responsibilities assigned to such person as a member of the Council.

The Minister shall, after informing the Cabinet of

The Council shall employ such number of persons to function as the staff of the Council who shall assist the Council in the discharge of its responsibilities in terms of the provisions of paragraph (a) of subsection (3)

The Council shall, make rules specifying the organisational structure of the staff and the duties assigned to each member of the staff and the manner in which the day-to-day business of the Council to be managed.

The manner and the rates of the remuneration payable to the members and the staff of the Council shall be determined by the Secretary to the Ministry of the Minister in consultation with the Secretary to the Treasury.