The State-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will have to spend approximately Rs. 800 million per day – Rs. 200 million more than previously planned – to purchase additional fuel from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to operate thermal oil power plants to meet the country’s electricity requirement, The Sunday Morning learns.

This is due to one generation unit at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant failing last week.

It is reliably learnt that the board’s fuel bill prior to the recent electricity tariff hike had been around Rs. 600 million and that it had gone up to Rs. 800 million once the board avoided imposing power cuts with the approval of the new tariffs.

Officials in the know told The Sunday Morning that the CEB’s current fuel bill stood at around Rs. 800-900 million and the recent breakdown reported from Norochcholai had forced the CEB to operate more diesel-powered power plants to meet a total power shortfall of around 400 MW.

As of Friday (24), the CEB’s thermal oil contribution to the national grid was 17.8% and the IPP thermal oil contribution was 15.3%, whereas the thermal coal contribution was 30% and hydro contribution was 27.5%.    

To meet the energy shortfall arising following the Norochcholai breakdown, the CEB now operates Kelanitissa West Coast (Diesel) and Kelanitissa Combined Cycle Plant (KCCP) together with Gas Turbine 7 (GT7) and other small GTs, it is learnt.

When contacted, CEB Chairman Nalinda Ilangakoon confirmed that the CEB’s daily fuel bill stood at around Rs. 800 million and assured that there were sufficient fuel stocks available to continue electricity supply.

He said last Sunday’s breakdown reported at Norochcholai had not affected energy generation but the de-loading of one unit. “Everything is under control and there is no issue. The board is managing and it has sufficient fuel stocks ordered from the CPC. We have ordered a naphtha shipment recently through CPC,” he stressed.