View matches with lights off: CEB

By Shelani Perera

The Ceylon Electricity Board has reiterated its call to conserve electricity during the Cricket World Cup matches, following an increase in electricity use specially when Sri Lanka is playing a match.

The increase was noticed when Sri Lanka played against Bangladesh on Wednesday and during Friday’s match against India.

On any weekday, the daily consumption of electricity was said to be around 28.05 million units. However on the day Sri Lanka played against Bangladesh it went up to 28.07 million units - an increase of .02 million units.

Prior to the start of the matches, the CEB recording of daily consumption was recorded as 28.10 million units.

CEB General Manager D. R. Pulleperuma told The Sunday Times that with Sri Lanka qualifying to play in the ‘Super 8’ there was a possibility the consumption of power would go up by about .3 million units per day.

“The matches do have an effect on the power situation and consumers must realize that we have to pay for the oil. That is why the CEB carries out a campaign even during these matches by inserting an advertisement calling on consumers to switch off unnecessary lights.

“We are yet to see whether there will be an increase of more than .3 million units in electricity usage during the coming cricket matches, but our prediction is this figure”, he said.

Mr. Pulleperuma said having outdoor giant screens to view the World Cup matches would help reduce the power consumption as householders will be outdoors. More than the TV it will be the lights used in the house which consume power, he said.