• Notes minimal impact of drought on hydropower generation 

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) stated that the prevailing drought situation in many parts of the country has not had a serious impact on hydro-power generation and that therefore, there is no immediate need for power cuts.

Several parts of the country such as Ampara, Hambantota, Monaragala, Anuradhapura, and Kurunegala are currently experiencing extreme dry weather.

When queried by The Daily Morning regarding the ongoing drought situation’s impact on hydropower generation, CEB Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon said that there has not been a serious impact at present and that power generation activities are being carried out as planned. “There has not been a serious impact as of now, and power generation activities are running according to plan.”

However, as the drought season has affected numerous parts of the country, he said that the CEB would analyse the situation and take action to address any issue that may arise in the future. “We will analyse the situation, and we will attend to any potential issues.” When queried about the possibility of future power cuts, he said: “No, there is no such need.”

Hydroelectricity has played a significant role in meeting the national electricity requirement since it was introduced in the 1950s, with over 50% of the total grid capacity met by hydroelectricity from 2000–2010. The hydropower resource in Sri Lanka is divided into two main regions based on water resources, namely, the Mahaweli Complex and the Laxapana Complex, and there are more than 20 hydropower plants in the country.

Meanwhile, during a meeting that was attended by several institutions to discuss the possibility of releasing water from the Samanalawewa Reservoir in Balangoda to the Udawalawe Dam, following a protest staged by farmers in the respective areas demanding that water be released for their cultivations, CEB officials had said that the electricity supply to the Southern Province would have to be disconnected for a period of one to three hours if water is released to the Udawalawe Dam. Following the warning, the Electricity Consumers Association attributed the reports of a possible power cut to an attempt to prepare the necessary background for emergency power purchases, but Illangakoon recently told The Daily Morning that there was no preparation to make emergency power purchases.