Public Utilities Commission approves power cuts

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has granted approval to the proposal made by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on scheduled interruptions of electricity supply in view of managing the current situation with a shortfall of electricity supply due to the breakdown at Puttalam Coal Power Plant.

“This short fall of electricity supply has been further aggravated by the drought currently prevailing in the country. Despite having sufficient installed capacity to meet the country’s electricity demand, a rational load shedding is being implemented due to the coincidence of the deterioration of the potential of hydro electricity generation and the breakdown in Puttalam Coal Power Plant,” the commission said.

It also said hydro storage had deteriorated to a very low level of less than 20% of the total capacity as of 14 August.

The CEB had further informed the commission that the irrigation water requirement is to be reduced from today onwards and therefore hydro generation would be further declined. Meanwhile, the CEB is making all possible efforts to resume the operation of the coal power plant as early as possible.

Considering this situation, the commission has extended its decision of no objection to curtail supply of electricity within the scheduled time slots in respective areas as identified and submitted to the commission by the CEB.

The CEB has already made the necessary arrangements to inform the public on the schedule of this load shedding and the resulting time slots of the curtailment of electricity supply.