Fuel and electricity conservation plan in the offing

At a time where Sri Lanka is facing severe power crisis, the Energy Ministry has put forward an energy conservation plan to conserve fuel and electricity by using fuel for transportation and generate electricity sparingly.

If the energy crisis is aggravated to uncontrollable proportion, then the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has no option other than imposing 4-hour power cuts countrywide, officials said.

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) said yesterday (Sunday (23)) that there will most likely be a one hour power cut today (24) and starting tomorrow onward (25), there will be a nearly two hour power cuts during peak hours (between 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m.) country wide.

Energy Minister Udya Gammanpila has made several proposals under this plan for fuel and electricity conservation as the country cannot afford the cost of fuel imports due to unprecedented dollar crisis.

According to Cabinet memorandum submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers, Energy Minister Gammanpila has suggested that the Central Bank allocate one third of its foreign exchange reserves to relevant import institutions to bring down medicinal drugs, medical equipment, other essential food and commodities.

In his Cabinet Memorandum, he has put forward a set of proposals to bring down the usage of fuel to tackle the energy crisis.

The main suggestions included in this memo were the implementation of fuel formula soon, curtailment of vehicles arriving in Colombo, conducting classes in schools using zoom technology one day per week and measures to reduce road traffic congestion on Colombo roads.

He has also proposed to restrict the meetings of provincial secretaries and officials so that they need not come to Colombo.

Among the other proposals was the introduction of different office hours for public sector employees with the aim of reducing traffic congestion and encouraging of industrialists to use solar energy for they factory operations and office work. 

Minister Gammanpila also said two tankers anchored at sea with a total of 76,000 MT of diesel and one of them with 37,000 MT had been cleared.

He noted that around 10,000 MT had been handed over to the CEB and it is sufficient to continue power generation of thermal power plants for at least eight days.

After clearing the second shipment of 39,000 MT the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation would be able to supply fuel for another eight days, he said adding that there won’t be a fuel shortage for at least the next 16 days. (Bandula)