The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has recommended to the Ministry of Power to impose scheduled power cuts for two and half hours daily, The Sunday Times Newspaper reports.
“The CEB’s Additional General Manager P.W. Hendahewa has communicated the decision to Power Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera and urged that it be enforced immediately. However, the Sunday Times learns that unscheduled power cuts lasting for the same duration will be enforced to overcome the shortfall in power generation.” The Sunday Times news report added.
According to a senior CEB official, One-hour power cuts will be enforced between 11 am and 6 pm and two 45-minute power cuts during the peak hours of 6 pm to 9 pm.
He said that, due to the dollar crisis, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) had withdrawn from supplying fuel to thermal power plants. In addition the closure of the Norochcholai coal power plant’s third unit and a part of the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi plant for maintenance and the breakdown at the Kalanitissa 115MW gas turbine plant had necessitated the imposition of power cuts, the official said.
Meanwhile, CEB has also requested consumers who use electric stoves to prepare dinner before 6:00 pm.
General Manager of CEB M.R Ranatunga said that by doing so power outages can be minimized.
Participating in a discussion with Neth FM radio, he further said that in the next few days, intermittent electricity disruptions can be expected in the country.
courtesy NewsWire
