News
CEB degenerates into buying private power
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has commenced purchasing electricity from owners of generators as part of a Self-Generation scheme aimed at mitigating the current power crisis.
Director (Development) of the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, Sulakshana Jayawardena said the scheme had come into effect on April 1. Under this programme, so-called ‘bulk suppliers’ who have a generator capacity of 100 KVA or above, are eligible to join the scheme. Under the scheme, suppliers will be paid Rs 31.85 for every unit of electricity generated to the national grid. The payment will be subject to generation of electricity during two specific periods; from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm and 5.30 am to 6.30 pm.
Suppliers who are eligible have to complete an application and forward it to the area engineer, when the CEB would install a special electricity meter that would record the times power is generated.
To be eligible for payment, the supplier must also generate at least 2,000 units per month, or 20% of total monthly average consumption for over six months.
Meanwhile, the CEB has finalised a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the privately owned ACE Power plant in Embilipitiya. Accordingly, this 100MW diesel power plant is now connected to the national grid. Negotiations are also ongoing regarding two other power plants, the 100MW Heladanavi power plant in Puttalam and the 25MW ACE Power plant at Matara. Mr Jayawardena said the Government was hoping to purchase the Heladanavi plant outright, while it would purchase electricity from ACE Power in Matara.