Colombo, Feb 5 : The Lanka Coal Company, incorporated to procure and supply coal for coal-fired thermal plants of Sri Lanka, has requested over $12 million to buy coal for power plants. Chairman of the Lanka Coal Company Shehan Sumanasekara told media on Saturday that he has asked the money from Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera, Xinhua news agency reported. The Lanka Coal Company needs 2 million metric tons of coal annually, or 33 ship loads, to manage energy needs, he said. Earlier, Ceylon Electricity Board, the state-owned electricity producer, warned that without a continuous supply of coal, the country may face extended power cuts in the dry season. Sri Lanka has been experiencing daily power cuts since early 2022 due to foreign reserve shortages. About 45 per cent of the country's electricity is generated by the thermal power, which relies on the import of fuel. /IANS