Ministry states no increase in electricity tariffs

The Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy states that electricity tariffs will not be increased. Issuing a media release, it quoted Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stating that the Ministry has notified the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL); the country's electricity regulator, that the Government has no plans to increase electricity tariffs. 

The statement pointed out that the PUCSL and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) hold discussions every six months regarding the financial situation of the CEB for the next six month period. 

According to the CEB's Technical Committee, for the six month period from October 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017, the Board's generation costs would rise due to the drought conditions which are expected during this period. As such, the Technical Committee had notified to the PUCSL that the Board needed to increase its revenue by five percent in order to cover those increased costs. 

However, the final authority regarding a policy decision on increasing electricity tariffs lies with the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy. The PUCSL had sought the views of the Ministry regarding the matter, to which the Ministry has replied that it does not intend to increase tariffs under any circumstances, the statement further stressed. 

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