• Cite elders’ lack of technological know-how, changing of mobile numbers  
• LECO defends decision saying several alternatives provided 

The Lanka Electricity Company (LECO), in the midst of concerns raised by consumers, is to implement the programme to issue electricity bills through text messages instead of printed bills from 1 August.

One of the leading electricity suppliers in the country, LECO recently stated that it would issue electricity bills through text messages to its nearly 600,000 consumers, instead of printed bills.

Expressing their views on the decision, the Electricity Consumers' Association (ECA) claimed that the decision taken by LECO is a preparation to exploit consumers, and that it should be temporarily suspended and re-studied. Speaking to The Daily Morning, the ECA Chairman Sanjeewa Dhammika said that while services should be updated with modern technology, a great injustice is being done to nearly 600,000 LECO customers through the proposed programme. 

“We have no problem with updating these services with technology, but, Sri Lanka is a country with a low level of knowledge related to technology. Especially, there are elderly people who don’t use mobile phones. A project of this nature should be implemented with an alternative for such people.” 

He also mentioned that many of the LECO customers would not be able to know their electricity charges as most of the mobile phone numbers that have been registered with LECO have been removed from use. “The Company recently issued electricity bills through text messages as a pilot project in the Kalutara District. There, some customers had not received electricity bills because their mobile phone numbers had changed. In the end, their electricity supply had been disconnected because they had not settled the electricity bills. Then, they had to pay an extra charge to get the electricity supply restored.” 

Speaking further, Dhammika said that the LECO had informed him that it costs Rs. 62 to print one electricity bill. “Usually, the electricity charges are calculated taking into account all the expenses including the cost of printing bills. Therefore, if bills are not given, electricity charges should be revised, but the LECO is not ready to make such a revision. Through this, they get an excess profit of millions of Sri Lankan Rupees every month.”

When contacted by The Daily Morning, LECO General Manager Dr. Narendra de Silva said that this programme is to be implemented from 1 August. He said that while there are no plans to revise the electricity charges, a few alternatives that would address the concerns raised by certain parties will be implemented. 

”Out of our 600,000 consumers, 96% have registered to receive text messages. It does not mean that we do not consider the remaining 4%. For them, we have introduced a few options. They can check their bill through the internet and get it printed if necessary or visit a LECO regional office and obtain a bill. If those options are also not available for them, our meter readers would carry a set of papers and write the electricity account number, the number of units consumed, and the charge, and give it to the consumer. For the issuance of such a piece of paper, we are considering charging a small fee of around Rs. 10. That is because if it is given free, everyone would ask for it.”

The LECO was set up in 1983 as a State owned Company registered under the Companies Act. The Company was assigned the endeavour of operating the dilapidated electricity networks once owned by the Local Authorities and since taken over.