Official power cuts may commence tomorrow

By Ifham Nizam

The Senior Management of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) yesterday said that load shedding would be on from tomorrow (25) due to shortage of heavy fuel to run the Sapugaskanda Power Plant Complex.

The newly-appointed Acting General Manager of the CEB Susantha Perera, contacted for comment, told The Island that there was a high probability of power cuts at night.

Asked whether the CEB would announce the power cut schedule, Perera said that the Systems Control Division and Transmission Division was yet to provide the necessary details.

The Sapugaskanda Power Station came to a standstill yesterday after running out of furnace oil.

Dr. Perera said that the Kelanitissa Power Plant Complex had fuel stocks for the next six days.

Although the CEB owes the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) as much as Rs. 95 billion, the latter provided some 600 MT furnace oil to the former on Saturday night.

The Sapugaskanda ceased operations around 12.00 p.m. yesterday. Thus, the national grid had lost 108 MW as a result.

The CEB said there would be no need to impose power cuts on Saturday and Sunday as the electricity demand during the weekend was relatively low.