The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is enforcing unofficial power cuts due to a significant drop in rainfall and reduced power generation, but CEB is describing the power cuts as ‘power failures’.
CEB Chairman E.A.S.K. Edirisinghe told The Sunday Times the current power situation was critical and the hydro power generation had dropped from 40 to 15 percent of the total.
“Sri Lanka did not receive the expected rain during the inter-monsoon and monsoon periods. If this continues and water levels in the reservoirs recede, we will consider power cuts,” he said.
The CEB chief said a 15-20 minute breakdown to prevent overloading of independent generators was the cause of power failures during the past few days and there were no power cuts as such.
However, Joint Front of Trade Unions President Ananda Nimalaratne said hydro power plants were generating less than 10% of the power they should generate because of low water levels in the reservoirs.
Lanka Viduli Sevaka Sangamaya Secretary Ranjan Lal claimed that the government was trying to hide the embarrassment of failing in its promise of supplying uninterrupted electricity to the people.
“Some of our members have been told to enforce these unofficial power cuts,” he said.
Mr. Lal said there were problems at the power transmission unit at the Kerawalapitiya plant and this had aggravated the situation. However, the CEB Chairman said the Kerawalapitiya plant had not suffered any breakdown and would be connected to the national grid by May 25. |
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