3 Feb load shedding was avoidable: PUCSL

• Power interruption partly due to CPC fuel cut-off: CEB
• PUCSL says system had adequate capacity to supply even without West Coast plant

Electricity sector regulator Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) yesterday stated that the load shedding program that resulted in power interruptions in several areas of the country on 3 February could have been avoided.

“If the analysis has not considered any salient reasons the Transmission Licensee had that justify the load shedding carried out on 3 February, the Transmission Licensee is expected to provide such reasons to the Commission,” PUCSL stated in their report.

The PUCSL report follows a report submitted by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) earlier this week on the unapproved power cuts, which the Commission is currently studying. The report stated that the power interruptions were a result of the unavailability of the 154 MW Kelanitissa Combined Cycle Power Plant and 270 MW Unit 1 of the Norochcholai coal power plant.In addition to this, water usage limitations imposed by the Water Management Secretariat (WMS) and the shutting down of multiple plants, including the 270 MW West Coast power plant, due to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) stopping its supply of fuel to CEB, were also listed as reasons for the load shedding program.

However, the PUCSL report states that the system had enough capacity to supply the full demand during the period of load shedding, and that the West Coast power plant was required to supply the night peak demand. “With the West Coast resuming generation after 1500 hrs, the total demand during the day could have been fully met,” the report stated.

“In the worst case scenario, i.e. under the absence of the West Coast power plant, demand could have been met with limited shedding (approximately 105 MW maximum for a period less than two hours during the night peak),” the report further stated.

The report also observed that the need to shed load during night time peak could have been avoided or lessened by shifting the Kotmale operation to the night time peak period, but that this would not have had any apparent impact on supply, since adequate generation was present to meet the demand during this period.

“The unavailability of the West Coast power plant was identified in the day-ahead forecast prepared by the CEB on 2 February,” the report stated, adding, “if the availability of the West Coast power plant was uncertain, the Transmission Licensee had sufficient time to obtain the approval of the Commission under Condition 30 (10) of the Transmission Licence, prior to the load shedding required during night peak.”