Thursday Sep 19, 2024
Thursday Sep 19, 2024
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The Ceylon Electricity Board and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation claim that they cannot make available supply till the cost-reflective electricity tariff hike is approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka.
They pointed out that the delay on part of the PUCSL to approve the cost-reflective electricity tariff hike led to the power cuts amidst the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination and if the Commission approved the same, the two State enterprises could have managed their finances to cater to the uninterrupted power supply from 26 January to 17 February.
The claims are being made by the CEB and CPC after PUCSL, Power and Energy Ministry and CEB and CPC gave an undertaking on Wednesday to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to “not to impose power cuts until 17 February” by when the G.C.E. Advanced Level exams will be over.
Issuing a letter in relation to the HRCSL directive, CPC Deputy General Manager B.N. Weerasooriya explained that providing furnace oil and naphtha from 23 January to 17 February will cost Rs. 15 billion for the CPC.
“Given the financial state of the corporation, there is no possibility we can provide oil to CEB on a credit sale as it would further worsen the financial crisis at the CPC,” the letter noted.
Meanwhile, CPC Managing Director Susantha Silva in a letter addressed to the Power and Energy Ministry Secretary and PUCSL Chairman noted that it was impossible for the corporation to provide oil on credit to the CEB amidst the dire financial situation at the CPC.
It further added that had PUCSL approved to increase of the electricity tariffs on a cost-reflective basis, the CPC could have come up with a collaborative solution with the CEB to provide uninterrupted power supply during the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination timeframe.
Separately, CEB Chairman Nalinda Ilangakoon said the Board is faced with an extremely challenging task to find money to provide continuous electricity supply during the GCE Advanced Level examination.
“Till the cost-reflective electricity tariff hike is approved by the PUCSL, it is financially impossible to provide electricity without interruptions during the examination timeline,” he told media yesterday.
He said that although the Human Rights Commission has requested to provide uninterrupted power supply till G.C.E. A/L examinations are over, the Board is faced with a severe financial crisis in securing extra funds needed for that.
“Though the CEB officials expressed in agreement to provide electricity at the Human Rights Commission, they have not yet informed in writing,” he added.
