Hotels to see sharp reduction in electricity bills

Kanchana Wijesekera

Sri Lanka’s hotel sector will finally receive some breathing space, with a decision being made to place it under the ‘industries’ category for electricity tariff.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told Parliament yesterday that by changing the category, the hotel sector would see a reduction in electricity bills by 20-29 percent. Hotels are currently placed under the super tariff category, where they have to pay 27 percent more than the other industries.
Hoteliers have long been lobbying for the removal of their establishments from the super tariffs category, as the tourism sector was severely hit by the global pandemic and economic crisis.
Following the second electricity tariff hike in February, the hotel sector filed a lawsuit against the Ceylon Electricity Board, asking to be treated just as any other industry.