CEB holds back Rs 30 bn from distribution and transmission expenditure

By Ifham Nizam

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had saved 30 billion rupees, since August 2022 by making the distribution and transmission more efficient and by not carrying out development projects, CEB General Manager Eng. Rohan Seneviratne said.Despite these savings, the CEB needs more money as the Central Bank has instructed the People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon not to give loans to the CEB.

Coal shipments to be taken delivery of soon would cost hundreds of billions of rupees, he said.

Seneviratne said that the proposed tariff hike would be painful, but necessary.CEB Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon said that tariff was based on scenarios/modules, formulated by a team of CEB engineers and accountants.