CEB predicts power cuts for three more years

Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) engineers said that the country would continue to experience power cuts for at least three more years.

CEB Engineers Union head, Anil Ranjith told the media on Wednesday (15) that the existing power plants did not produce enough to match the country’s demand for electricity.

The present demand was around 2,800 megawatts (MW) a day.

“Until we increase our supply, through thermal, wind, LNG, coal or solar, the power cuts will continue,” he said.

Ranjith said Sri Lanka had been experiencing daily power cuts since February 22 due to fuel shortages caused by the foreign exchange crisis.

He said that the government must accelerate its rooftop solar panel project as an emergency initiative to ease the situation.

However, Sri Lanka must establish adequate battery banks to store solar, he said.

Currently, Sri Lanka produced most of its electricity from hydro power, but that would not be possible once the rainy season ended, he said.

Sri Lanka spends about 100 million US dollars a month to import diesel for thermal power plants.

The Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera said that the country must immediately shift to renewables. (RK)