• Treasury instructed to release Rs.93Bn to CEB to pay CPC
• CPC agrees to supply fuel for reactivation of power plants
• Dependency on thermal power has increased with the reduction of water levels at  reservoirs

By Kelum Bandara   

The Finance Ministry is to work out a separate arrangement for the import of fuel for power generation by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), an official said.   

 Until such time, the Treasury was instructed to release Rs.93 billion to the CEB to be paid to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation for the purchase of fuel to be used in thermal power generation. Sri Lanka’s dependency on thermal power for the grid requirement has increased with the reduction of water levels at the reservoirs for hydropower generation.   

A CEB official said the CPC agreed to supply fuel for the reactivation of the power plants, and therefore there is no need for power cuts for the next few days. He said a long term solution would be worked out by the Finance Ministry to import fuel for power generation under a credit arrangement. 

• A long term solution would be worked out by the Finance Ministry to import fuel for power generation under a credit arrangement