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PUCSL reveals CEB’s questionable bids to purchase power
‘15 out of 16 requests rejected, but there were no blackouts’
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had made 16 requests to Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) between 2016 and 2020, seeking permission for power purchases, Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake said yesterday.
Ratnayake said that PUCSL had rejected those requests outright on 13 occasions and turned down two requests after discussions. PUCSL had approved the purchase of emergency power only once, he said.
“The funny thing is that our rejections did not lead to power cuts although those requests were made to avoid potential power cuts. We saved Rs. 571 billion by rejecting these requests. If the PUCSL had not existed, power purchases would have been made and the people would have been compelled to bear the burden. Therefore, it’s important to have regulators like the PUCSL. In other sectors we see ad hoc purchases and price hikes,” he said.
The PUCSL chairman said that they had warned about possible power cuts circa 2020 because the long-term generation plans were not implemented. The PUCSL, the Cabinet and the CEB Board of Directors had approved several power plants over the years. “For several reasons, none of these plants have been built. Thus, we have been having issues for a long time. Our power issues are man-made. PUCSL has called for building power plants, the Cabinet and CEB board approval have also been given but power plants are not built. But over the years there have been a lot of requests for purchasing emergency power,” he said.
Ratnayake said that the CEB had not made a request to buy emergency power now. This is because the issue right now is financial and not related to production.
“I think all of us remember the blackout on December 03, 2021. Was that accidental or was it sabotage? This is what we are looking into. When the blackout took place, two plants at Norochcholai broke down. We lost about 570 megawatts of power and it took almost a week to get the plants back online. Again on December 23 to 24, 2021, CEB, without any warning and without our approval initiated power cuts across the country. We wrote to CEB immediately and asked why you are shedding power? They didn’t reply. They did the same thing again on January 06, 2022. This time we asked them more aggressively,” the PUCSL chairman said.
The CEB had responded to the PUCSL a few days later and claimed that they were having issues with power generation, Ratnayake said. The CEB said some plants were not operating due to various reasons and wanted the PUCSL to approve power cuts.
“Now, the CEB is receiving fuel from the CPC and by the end of January the third power plant at Norochcholai will be back online. This will add 270 megawatts to the grid. So, I think we can stop the power cuts,” he said.
The Chairman of the PUCSL added that the CEB had not provided adequate information about the blackouts in December 2021 and soon the PUCSL will hold a public hearing on this. “We will take evidence and take steps to ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
