Minister of Power Gamini Lokuge has instructed officials to prepare a timetable for scheduled power cuts if necessary.
Speaking during a media briefing in Colombo today, Minister Lokuge said attempts to obtain fuel from Lanka IOC had also failed.
The Minister claimed there was no need to impose scheduled power cuts if fuel can be obtained from the fuel tanker that arrived at the Colombo Port.
He said they received 3,000MT of furnace oil which will run out by this evening.
Minister Lokuge said therefore they held a discussion with representatives of Lanka IOC to obtain fuel them as an alternative.
The Minister said LOIC stocks will be stored at the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm which is not accessible from Colombo.
The Minister claimed the Central Bank assured that the shipment will be released by evening adding if successful the Minister of Energy and the Chairman of the CPC also assured fuel will be provided from stocks at hand.
Minister Lokuge said in the event they are unable to obtain fuel, the timetable on scheduled power cuts will be announced so as not to inconvenience the public with sudden power cuts.
On a separate note, the Minister strongly criticized the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union.
He said the Union’s warning that there will be a power cut after 6pm this evening was based on fuel stocks depleting.
He said the Sapugaskanda Power Station is running on fuel provided by the CPC.
When questioned by media whether power cuts will be longer than 1.5 hours, the Minister said it will not exceed this timeframe as there was only a shortage of 200MW.
He said there was no truth to the claims made by unions of 4-5 hour long power cut adding the unions would prefer to schedule such power cuts.
The Minister questioned if Engineers would be so determined to impose power cuts at this moment.
When questioned by media over the risk of the Kelanitissa Power Station being shut down, Minister Lokuge said it will not be shut down as long as there is a supply of fuel.
