CEB rules out sabotage as cause for power outage

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has all but ruled out sabotage as being the cause of yesterday's island-wide power failure. 

Addressing a media briefing held at the Government Information Department in Colombo today, CEB Chairman Anura Wijepala stated that based on their initial assessment, the CEB was "99 percent certain'" that sabotage did not cause the power outage. 

The most likely cause of the outage was a chain reaction triggered by a lightning strike on the transmission line between the Polpitiya Substation and Kolonnawa, he stressed. 

A sudden bout of severe weather hit Colombo and several other areas in the country last afternoon, bringing with it heavy winds, rain and in some cases, even hail. 

When queried regarding reports of some areas still being without power 24 hours after the initial outage, the chairman said these were mainly due to damage caused by the severe weather, which uprooted trees and felled power lines in many areas. He said the CEB was still working to clear these obstacles and restore power to all areas as soon as possible. 

Meanwhile, two separate committees have been appointed to probe yesterday's power failure. One of these comprises senior engineers of the CEB while a committee comprised of external experts would also conduct a separate probe, said Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. 

The CEB committee report is due to be handed in within a week, while the external committee will submit its report in a month's time. 

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