The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) stated that the existing electricity tariffs will have to be continued if the proposed tariff revision is not approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) within due course.
As the position of its Chairperson is still vacant, the PUCSL recently stated that it is not able to make a decision regarding the public consultation on the electricity tariff revision proposed by the CEB to be implemented from 1 July onwards.
The Daily Morning queried CEB Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon regarding the situation pertaining to the tariff revision, and he said that the CEB is ready to implement it from 1 July only if the PUCSL approves it within due course. “This is something that should happen from their end. If they don’t approve this tariff revision, we will have to continue with the existing tariff rates. We, as the CEB, are ready to implement it from 1 July, but it will happen only if PUCSL approval is granted.”
Earlier this week, The Daily Morning queried a member of the PUCSL, who wished to remain anonymous, as to whether they would call a public consultation on the proposed electricity tariff revision, to which the member responded, saying that it would not happen any time soon as a Chairperson is yet to be appointed to the PUCSL. “The members of the PUCSL have not met for almost three months due to the problematic situation that has prevailed. Basically, we are unable to do anything without the presence of the Chairperson. We have informed the higher-ups about this situation. We don’t know what will happen,” the member said.
The position of the PUCSL Chairman was left vacant following the removal of its former Chairman Janaka Ratnayake through a resolution presented to the Parliament in accordance with Section 7 of the PUCSL Act. It was debated in Parliament on 24 May. The resolution was passed with a majority of 43 votes, with 123 Parliamentarians voting in favour, while 77 MPs voted against the same.
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera announced on 24 May that the electricity tariffs of the domestic category (first 30 units) would be reduced by a minimum of 23%, religious places by 7-23%, and the hotel category by 29-40%, with effect from 1 July 2023. The relevant proposal submitted to the PUCSL by the CEB is, however, yet to be approved.