Electricity tariffs increased with effect from April 1

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has granted approval to increase electricity tariffs with effect from April 1.

The Ceylon Electricity Board in February requested a 13.56% electricity tariff revision from the Public Utilities Commission for the second quarter of this year.

Under the electricity revision announced by the PUCSL for domestic consumers:

• For the 0–30 units category, electricity tariffs will rise by 4.3%, resulting in a monthly increase of Rs. 15.
• For the 31–60 units category, tariffs will go up by 6.9%, with a monthly increase of Rs. 45.
• For the 61–90 units category, tariffs are also increased by 6.9%, translating to a monthly rise of Rs. 120.
• For the 91–120 units category, tariffs will rise by 7.2%, leading to a monthly increase of Rs. 420.
• For consumption above 180 units, electricity tariffs see a 25.3% increase, marking the highest rise under this adjustment, according to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has decided not to increase electricity tariffs for religious and charitable institutions that consume below 180 units monthly.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has decided to approve a 9.6% increase in electricity tariffs only for consumption above 180 units in those sectors.

Meanwhile, it has been decided to increase electricity tariffs by 8% for the general and household consumer categories, while limiting the electricity tariff increase for the industrial sector to 8.7%, according to the Commission.

For government institutions, the Public Utilities Commission has decided to raise electricity tariffs by 14.4%.

The PUCSL has also decided to introduce a new tariff category for Electrical Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations; to promote EV and demand side management (peak shifting).

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka conducted a series of public consultations to obtain stakeholder feedback on the proposed second electricity tariff revision for 2026.

The consultations were held across five provinces to ensure broad public participation and regional representation. The sessions took place in Ampara, Vavuniya, Matale, Hambantota and Colombo from March 9, to March 18. Written comments and suggestions regarding the proposed tariff revision were obtained from the public until March 18.

More than 250 stakeholders participated in the sessions, including representatives from industry, commerce, small and medium enterprises, the public sector, consumer associations, religious organizations, and individual consumers, the PUCSL noted.

The consultation process provided an open and inclusive platform for participants to express their views, concerns, and recommendations concerning the proposed tariff structure and its anticipated implications for various consumer categories and the national economy.

In terms of the Section 30 of Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009, General Policy Guidelines for the electricity industry and the Commission approved “Tariff Methodology - 2021”, the CEB was directed to submit the tariff proposal for the second quarter of 2026. Accordingly, the end user and bulk supply tariff proposals by the CEB, considering the quarter starting from April 2026, were received by the Commission on February 13, 2026, for the second quarter tariff review of 2026.

The CEB proposal requested for a tariff increase of 13.56%, to be effective from April 01, 2026.