Govt to reduce power cut duration during weekend on increased hydropower generation 

ECONOMYNEXT –Sri Lanka will reduce its power cut duration due to increased hydro power generation Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said on Friday after the island nation received heavy rains across the country.Hydro power on Friday (14) accounted for over 50 percent of Sri Lanka’s power generation followed by thermal power.The country has been experiencing heavy rains this week and all reservoirs are getting adequate rainfall, the state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) data showed.

“CEB will reduce the power cuts during the weekend due to increase in hydro generation & low energy demand,” Minister Wijesekera said in his twitter platform.The government has imposed a power cut of 2 our and 20 minutes from October 11-14, but it is yet to announce the duration for the weekend.

Sri Lanka is currently in the process of securing coal imports to prevent extended power cuts amid threats of existing coal stock exhausted by this month. Fresh tender has been called to purchase coal after canceling a tender that was awarded to a UAE-based company.