Power cuts lasting nearly five hours to be imposed tomorrow

There will be rotational power cuts lasting up to 4 hours and 40 minutes tomorrow (23), power sector regulator Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) said this evening.

According to PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake, rotational power cuts lasting 4 hours and 40 minutes will be imposed for areas coming under A, B and C zones that were publicised by the PUCSL earlier. All other areas will have power cuts lasting for 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Rotational power cuts will begin from 8.30am tomorrow and continue till 21.30pm. A, B and C areas will have power cuts lasing 2 hours and 40 minutes between 8.30am and 4.30pm and 2 hour power cuts between 4.30pm and 9.30pm. Other areas will power cuts lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes from 8.30am to 4.30pm, and 2 hour power cuts between 4.30pm and 9.30pm. 

The Ceylon Electricity Board had requested for power cuts due to a shortage in fuel supply.

About 4000 metric tonnes of fuel is required daily to generate electricity. However, today (February 22), there was a shortage of 2000 metric tonnes of fuel, the PUCSL Chairman said. As a result, power plants supplying 550 Mega Watts (MW) to the national grid were shut down. 

Tomorrow's fuel requirement is 4000 metric tonnes. But only 1000 metric tonnes are supplied. Accordingly, the fuel shortage for tomorrow is 3000 metric tonnes. If there is such a shortage, 750 MW will be withdrawn from the national grid, he further said. 

However, exactly a week ago, the PUCSL Chairman claimed there would be no need for the CEB to impose power cuts for the next three months, provided factors such as there being an uninterrupted fuel supply and no technical faults developing at power plants.