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Power generation: Private generator users seek higher unit cost

19 Mar 2022

 
  • Cabinet paper to be submitted soon
  By Maheesha Mudugamuwa A request to increase the unit price of diesel-fired electricity generators owned by private and State sector bulk customers who generate their own power during peak hours has been submitted to the Ministry of Power by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) last week, according to CEB Chairman M.M.C Ferdinando. The price of a unit of electricity generated by diesel-fired generators owned by the State and private institutions had been increased from Rs. 42 to Rs. 58, and the relevant Cabinet paper seeking approval from the Cabinet is now ready for signing. In the wake of a short supply of power due to fuel shortages for power generation and the drop in hydro-power generation, the CEB in January decided to purchase electricity from bulk customers with generators between 05:30hrs to 18:30hrs in the daytime and the night peak time from 18:30hrs to 22:30hrs to avoid power cuts. The amount will be set off against the next month’s bill. Explaining the process of purchasing electricity from private and State diesel generators, the CEB Chairman noted that those who were generating electricity via diesel generators disconnecting the supply from the CEB would be paid Rs. 58 once the new proposal to be submitted to the Cabinet is passed. “We have a mechanism called self-generation and those who have generators should switch off from our network and do the generation on their own and the CEB would pay for those who self-generate electricity,” Ferdinando said. He went on to say that the Board had earlier paid Rs. 39 per unit and it had been recently increased to Rs. 42. “Now, considering the fuel prices, we have informed the Ministry to increase the price to Rs. 58 and the relevant Cabinet paper is now ready for signing,” he added. Commenting on the fuel supply to generator owners and private power plants with which the CEB had entered into an agreement to supply fuel, Ferdinando said it was the responsibility of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to provide an uninterrupted fuel supply. The Private-Public Partnership (PPP) should find a way to get an uninterrupted supply and to provide the electricity to the CEB at the rate the agreements are entered into, he added. Attempts made to contact CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesighe were futile.    


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