The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is compelled to cut power in some areas after the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation suspended fuel to some power stations.
In a report submitted to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the CEB said that it had to shut down the West Coast Power Plant, ACE Power in Matara and all small thermal power plants in Thulhiriya, Mathugama and Kolonnawa on 3rd February as the CPC had suspended fuel to the CEB.
The CEB said that in order to ensure there was no total system failure, steps were taken to implement load shedding.
The government has decided to purchase 128 MW of power from the private sector to face the current power crisis.
Tenders have been called for the purchase of 128 MW of power and two companies, DG Power Holdings Limited and Altaaqa Global Solutions Limited, have been selected official sources said. .
In addition, cabinet approval has been granted to extend the contract with private companies to purchase electricity by another six months.
Minister of Power and Energy Mahinda Amaraweera revealed that the debt owed to the CPC by the CEB and the electricity producers supplying energy to the CEB is about Rs. 104 million while the CPC’s debt is over Rs. 500 million.
Although finding solutions to the electricity crisis is of national importance, the Ceylon Electricity Board and the mafia associated use the public as bait to fulfill their personal agendas.
A document that was submitted to the Board of Directors of the CEB is yet another example of the electricity mafia in Sri Lanka.
This document, as in the past, creates a false scarcity of electricity.In order to meet the growing demand, the respective document proposes that power be purchased from the private sector.
The document also requests board approval to extend two expired Power Purchase Agreements with two private sector companies.
The document also reveals that there will be a shortfall in electricity generation of 200 megawatts in the future.
If the CEB predicts such a shortfall in generation, a proposal to call for tenders and purchase electricity at the most competitive price, should be submitted.
(LI)