The Ceylon Electricity Board says the final decision on whether scheduled power cuts will be imposed will be announced today.
The CEB said it will only resort to imposing power cuts if the need arises. Yesterday, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka granted permission for the CEB to impose scheduled power cuts from today.
Power outages were reported in many parts of the island over the past few days, owing to a breakdown of a generator at the Kelanitissa Power Plant and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation taking steps to suspend the supply of furnace oil.
The CEB had requested permission from the PUCSL to impose scheduled power cuts, against such a backdrop.
Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake speaking to NewsRadio said permission was granted for the CEB to impose scheduled power cuts daily in a manner that does not inconvenience the public.
He said however there is no need for power cuts during the day adding however scheduled power cuts may be imposed across the island at night.
However, the CEB said although permission was granted, a decision has not been reached thus far to impose power cuts from today.
Meanwhile speaking to media and commenting on the decision to impose scheduled power cuts daily, General Secretary of the Ceylon Electricity Board Employees Union Ranjan Jayalal said the PUCSL must be abolished for reaching such short-sighted decisions.
Jayalal claimed associates of the government within the PUCSL have granted permission to impose scheduled power cuts for a period of two hours daily, adding the Commission was established to look into whether the public is inconvenienced as a result of the service provided by the CEB.
He claimed however at present the Commission is carrying out the agenda of the government.
He added therefore the PUCSL is useless at present and must be abolished.
Jayalal noted Minister Gamini Lokuge had called for a committee to be appointed to look into the matter adding however there is no need for a committee as the country faces a severe drought every five years.
He added the CEB is unable to bear the impact of the drought and the government must find solutions to the issue.
Ranjan Jayalal said funds were allocated for massive projects in this regard adding 50 generators with a capacity of 1 megawatt were brought down five years ago to be used in case of a power outage.
He claimed however that the generators were not up to standard.
