• Kanchana calls for 20% reduction in goods/services’ costs 

The Electricity Consumers' Association (ECA) claimed that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) continues to fail to implement the conditions imposed by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).

Speaking to The Daily Morning, ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that the PUCSL imposed seven conditions on the CEB when the electricity tariff revision was being approved on Monday (15). Although such conditions were imposed even when previous tariff revisions were being made, he charged that the CEB did not fulfill any of those conditions, disregarding the directions from the PUCSL. 

“The subject Minister (Kanchana Wijesekera) and the CEB did great damage to the electricity sector, just to please the Government and the International Monetary Fund. The CEB submitted false data when electricity tariffs were revised last time. The latest tariff revision approved by the PUCSL is also something better than what the CEB initially proposed. The CEB continues with these practices, and the Minister does nothing,”

CEB General Manager Dr. Narendra de Silva was not available for comment.

Approving an overall 22.5% reduction in electricity tariffs with effect from yesterday (16), the PUCSL directed the CEB to conduct a comprehensive independent cost audit for the fourth quarter of 2023, to establish power purchase agreements and power sales agreements for the complete operation of the bulk supply transaction account, to negotiate and enter into fuel supply agreements with fuel suppliers, to complete and commission the Kotmale – New Polpitiya transmission line, to submit a plan to encourage energy conservation and efficiency, to prepare and submit the renewable energy development plan up to 2030 with annual milestones, and to ensure that all electricity bills issued to the consumers are readable and that hardcopies are issued if and when demanded by the consumer. The CEB was directed to fulfill the said conditions by 30 September. 

Meanwhile, Wijesekera, addressing a press conference, said that the recent electricity price revision should lead to a 20% reduction in the costs of goods and services and hence urged businesses to adjust their pricing, especially those that increased charges following the previous electricity bill hike.