Extended power cuts likely if electricity tariffs not increased

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has warned that in the event electricity tariffs are not increased as per the requirements listed by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), extended power cuts will have to be imposed.

Speaking at a press conference held this afternoon (27 Dec.), focusing on Sri Lanka’s coal crisis and its impact on the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai, Wijesekera noted that the electricity tariffs cited by CEB will have to be imposed so as to keep the daily power cuts to a minimum.

Refuting recent claims that electricity tariffs are being increased to make up for the losses incurred by CEB thus far, Wijesekera explained that the hike is being proposed to cover the cost required to generate electricity.

He further emphasised that if the tariffs were being increased so as to recover CEB’s losses, it would have to be increased by a much higher percentage.

Speaking at a media briefing last week, Wijesekera asserted that electricity tariffs will definitely be revised in January 2023, regarding which a detailed report is due to be submitted at the first Cabinet meeting scheduled for 02 January.

When the matter was discussed at length at a Cabinet meeting earlier this month, several ministers suggested that an alternative program should be in place to minimize the losses of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) instead of another tariff hike.

However, Wijesekera, at the time, pointed out that the prevailing issue cannot be resolved and that the duration of daily power cuts would have to be increased to at least six hours if the electricity tariffs are not increased.

Meanwhile, Wijesekera added that measures are currently underway to ensure that all religious places of worship will be provided with a free of charge 05 kw solar power unit within a period of nearly three months.

The project is to be facilitated under an Indian credit facility, he stated in this regard.