8 August 2023 12:00 am Views - 90
By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said there will be no price revision on electricity tariff, as speculated in the media.
While posting a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said the government’s policy decision is to revise the electricity tariff biannually, in January and July.
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had planned for an uninterrupted supply of power island wide throughout the year with no scheduled power cuts. Currently, the full capacity is being used for power generation.
A meeting was held at the President’s office yesterday with CEB and Irrigation Department officials. Options related to ensuring a continuous power supply with no scheduled power cuts and the maximum amount of water that can be released for agriculture were to be discussed with the Cabinet Ministers.
Details related to the power generation for the next 12 months, the release of water for agriculture, hydropower capacity, and thermal power options available were to be discussed.
Discussion to settle the dispute between the land owner and the CEB to complete the Asia Development Bank (ADB)-financed Polpitiya-Hambantota transmission line has been set for August 11 by the PUCSL.
The 150-kilometre transmission line connecting the Southern Province has come to a halt in the last three months due to a dispute over the government’s valuation for a 650-metre stretch of land by which the lines are connected through.
If the dispute is settled, the work can be completed in four days. The CEB has already paid compensation to 2,500 individuals based on government valuation and completed the work in the 150-kilometre stretch over these areas, added Minister Wijesekera.