Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekara, has affirmed that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is meticulously planning for a consistent and uninterrupted power supply across the entire island throughout the year, thereby eliminating the need for scheduled power cuts.
Taking to Twitter, Wijesekara underscored that the current power plants are being operated at their maximum capacity to ensure effective power generation.
In a recent development, the Minister convened a meeting at the President’s Office on the 6th of August, bringing together representatives from the CEB and the Department of Irrigation. The objective was to deliberate and strategize ways to sustain an uninterrupted power supply, without resorting to scheduled power cuts.
Moreover, he shared that the allocation of the maximum water volume for agricultural use will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers on the 7th of August.
The meeting encompassed discussions on various pertinent aspects, including power generation plans for the upcoming year, strategies for agricultural water release, potential hydropower capacity, and available options in thermal power generation.
In addition, the Minister highlighted that efforts are being made to resolve a dispute between a landowner and the CEB, which has delayed the completion of the Polpitiya-Hambantota transmission line funded by the Asian Development Bank. The unresolved issue pertains to the government’s valuation of a 650-meter stretch of land crucial to the transmission line. Wijesekara emphasized that once this dispute is settled, the project could be finalized within a mere four days. Notably, compensation based on government valuation has already been paid to 2,500 other individuals along the 150 km stretch, with work having been successfully completed in those areas.
Furthermore, the Minister clarified speculations in the media, confirming that there will be no imminent tariff revisions for electricity. He reassured the public that the government’s policy is to review electricity prices biannually, specifically in the months of January and July each year.
