Public call on power tariffs through newspapers

By Bandula Sirimanna

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), for the first time, has made a public call for representations - through the newspapers - on new power rates unlike in the past through the government gazette which the public doesn't have easy access to. The new rates expected to rise by 40 percent from current rates will be effective in March.

A senior CEB official said it is mandatory for the CEB to publish the notices of tariff revisions and call for public representations in accordance and this was done through the gazette until a board decision to publish the new tariff with the aim of creating awareness on this issue among a wider audience. A special committee appointed by the government has proposed that the new rates to be adopted until CEB harnesses low cost electricity by way of commissioning the Norochcholai Coal Power Station in 2011 and Upper Kotmale Power Station also in 2011.

Director General of the Public Utilities Commission Professor Priyantha Wijetunge admits that the levying of the fuel adjustment charge of 20 percent from all consumers is unreasonable but the CEB had no other alternative.

Wijetunga who served on a Cabinet-appointed committee to review the CEB's tariff policy, said committee members considered the economic standard of the low income groups and granted relief for those who consume a lesser number of units. He said the rates could change after March 1 based on public representations.