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Sapugaskanda to cause power cuts today?

19 Jan 2022

  • Sapugaskanda furnace oil stocks to run out today
  • CEB says power cuts if no new furnace oil stocks
  • CPC was to release 10,000 MT of diesel y’day to Kelanitissa
  • Power cuts reported following Kelanitissa closure
BY Pamodi Waravita Electricity consumers face further power outages today (20) as the emergency furnace oil supplied to the Sapugaskanda Power Station is set to run out today, and in the absence of further supply, power outages will be inevitable from today onwards, The Morning learnt. Although the Sapugaskanda Power Station was completely shut down on 18 January evening, the CEB received 900 metric tones (MT) of furnace oil in the eleventh hour to keep it running through the night, which proved sufficient to prevent an emergency power outage at the time. However, a CEB spokesperson told The Morning that the 900 MT of furnace oil at the Sapugaskanda Power Station will only last until today. “If we get more furnace oil stocks, we can keep the station running. But, power cuts may occur tomorrow (20) if the Sapugaskanda Power Station shuts down again,” he said yesterday (19). The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) was due to release 10,000 MT of diesel to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) yesterday in order to ensure the continuous functioning of the Kelanitissa Power Plant. However, at the time of printing, the CEB said that the diesel had still not reached the power plant and thus power cuts would likely occur last night. “We do not term these as power cuts. Power cuts are done to save electricity for the future. What is happening now is that the demand is higher than the supply, so this is termed as load shedding. Two units at the Kelanitissa Power Plant stopped operations yesterday and although the CPC was due to release diesel, we are yet to receive it,” the CEB spokesperson told The Morning last night. He added that even if the diesel was received, since it takes about five hours to pump a full capacity of 1,500 MT, power cuts of one hour and 45 minutes, divided among four areas or slots, were possible last night. Power cuts were reported from various areas of the island earlier yesterday, following the shutdown of the Kelanitissa Power Station last morning. Energy Minister and Co-Cabinet Spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday at the cabinet decisions press briefing that the the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) had provided US dollars on 18 January to release the two fuel ships which were at the Colombo Port. “From the 37,500 MT of diesel there, we have advised the CPC to release 10,000 MT to the CEB for the supply of electricity,” Gammanpila said yesterday, adding that since the CEB had requested for a daily supply of 1,500 MT of fuel, the 10,000 MT released yesterday would last an approximate eight days. Also speaking to the media yesterday, Power Minister Gamini Lokuge assured that if routine power cuts are needed in the future, it will occur according to a pre-planned schedule, with the country divided into seven or eight areas. “If there is an emergency, we will release a schedule, where the country is divided into seven or eight areas.” The CEB released a power cut schedule on 10 January night, in case of necessary power outages, which has divided the country into four groups. Between the times of 5.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., one-hour power outages have been scheduled for each of these areas from Monday to Saturday. Sunday is not included in the schedule. Meanwhile, CEB Trade Union Alliance Convener Ranjan Jayalal, while speaking to the media, accused the Government of not having a “proper plan” which has in turn led to the wastage of public money as the authorities had to pay late fees/demurrages to the ships which were stationed at the Colombo Port. “We had to pay Rs. 60 million in late fees. The ministers should solve problems instead of lamenting them to the public,” claimed Jayalal. The power crisis has been ongoing for the past month, with Lokuge and Gammanpila attempting to prioritise fuel for their respective power and energy sectors. Last week, Gammanpila said that the 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 Company (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. Meanwhile, Gammanpila said yesterday that the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, which is currently facing a breakdown, will only be operational again on 22 January or 24 January, the latest. “Thereafter, this situation will ease up,” he assured.


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