CEB’s illegal power outage causes Rs. 320 m economic loss: PUCSL

• Claims CEB has dispatched fuel generated Sojitz and Westcoast power plants out of the schedule
• Points to CEB’s failure to release water via Randenigala and Rantambe power plants as scheduled causes 1.1745 MCMs which could have been utilised for 125 MWh power generation 

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has charged that the illegal power disruptions by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) last month caused an economic cost of Rs. 320 million to operate fuel-generated power plants though hydropower plants could have been operated easily on that day. 

Issuing a report on 9 June power failure, the PUCSL recommended conducting an inquiry into the power outages beyond the approved schedule, as a result of trade union action launched by the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU).

On 8 June, CEBEU announced that a countrywide blackout was likely as they protested against the Government's decision to entertain unsolicited bids from private investors bypassing competitive bidding.

The PUCSL report revealed that the CEB has dispatched fuel generated Sojitz and Westcoast power plants out of the schedule on 9 June and incurred an additional estimated cost of Rs. 320 million.

The Commission pointed out that the CEB failed to serve electricity between 4:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. on 9 June due to the stoppage of hydro generation as a result of the unplanned load shedding. 

The PUCSL also charged that the CEB’s failure to operate the Wimalasurendra, Canyon, Old Laxapana, New Laxapana, Polpitiya, Upper Kotmale, Victoria, Randenigala, Rantambe, Ukuwela, and Bowatenna power plants from 12 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. as scheduled during the allocated timeline.

The report noted that the Commission has received a copy of a complaint made by the Irrigation Department to the Secretary to the Ministry of Irrigation noting that the CEB has not dispatched the hydropower plants as scheduled to release the water for the irrigation requirements without any prior notice since 8 June midnight. 

In addition, the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka 9 June has opened the spill gates of Randenigala and Rantambe reservoirs to release water for irrigation purposes as the CEB has failed to release the water through Randenigala and Rantambe power plants as scheduled, and as a result, 1.1745 million cubic meters of water has been released, which could have been utilised for power generation of 125 MWh (Estimated).

The PUCSL report noted that it has been decided to conduct an inquiry into the unapproved power outage by the CEB on 9 June.