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One hour power cut today, two hours from tomorrow?

24 Jan 2022

  • CEB sends schedule for PUCSL approval
  • Power Minister says plan is to avert power cuts
BY Pamodi Waravita The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) said yesterday (23) that there will most likely be a one hour power outage today (24) and starting tomorrow onwards (25), there will be a nearly two hour power outages during peak times (between 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m.) around the country. “Power outages will be done according to a grouping schedule, where the country will be divided into four hours. We are currently preparing this schedule and it will be sent for approval tomorrow. The outages will most likely fall between 3 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. We have not finalised this yet and the schedule will be available via the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) website and media tomorrow,” CEBEU General Secretary Dhammika Wimalaratne said yesterday, addressing a media briefing. Commenting on the status of fuel at the power stations in the country, he said that the Kelanitissa Power Plant has 6,100 metric tonnes (MT) of diesel remaining, which will last until Thursday (27), while the Sapugaskanda Power Plant’s furnace oil finished last Saturday (22) evening. “There is no information on when Sapugaskanda will receive more stocks of furnace oil. The Barge Mounted Power Plant will most likely run out of fuel by Monday (24) morning.” Furthermore, he said that according to information they have received, the Yugadanavi Power Plant, which is privately run, will run out of furnace oil by 2 or 3 February, with no information yet on whether it will be able to source new stocks. “The Norochcholai Coal Power Plant’s repairs are done and now it is being reassembled. After it is tested, it will be ready to function again from 28 January. That will add 300 megawatts (MW) to the system, but with uncertainty about the 300 MW at the Yugadanavi Power Plant, we anticipate a continuation of this power crisis next month as well,” he added. Attempts by The Morning to contact CEB Spokesperson Andrew Navamani about the power cut schedule proved futile yesterday. CEBEU President Eng. Saumya Kumarawaddu said that with water levels in reservoirs decreasing, and the chance of rains only in May again, hydropower stations will also not be able to aid in supplying a lot of electricity to the country. “This power crisis will last until April,” he said. However, Power Minister Gamini Lokuge said that all attempts will be made to avoid having to cut the power supply. “Tomorrow morning we will discuss how much furnace oil we have. It is according to the quantity we are planning to avoid power cuts on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Tomorrow we will discuss this at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting as well. We are trying to proceed without power cuts,” he said, addressing a media briefing yesterday. CEB Acting General Manager Dr. Susantha Perera told the media last Saturday that power outages are expected from today. The power crisis has been ongoing for the past month, with Power Minister Lokuge and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila attempting to prioritise fuel for their respective power and energy sectors. Gammanpila said that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) needs 30 days’ notice to supply fuel, and that the CEB’s sudden requests are difficult to fulfil. However, Lokuge told the media that the CEB makes an annual order for fuel, and that the CPC should have planned accordingly. Although the CEB attempted to procure fuel from the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC), the LIOC too said that it will be impossible at the moment to honour the request as they too have difficulties in opening letters of credit.


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