FR filed against PUCSL for approving electricity tariff for domestic consumption

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Electricity and Renewable Energy Consumers Association and five others yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking an order staying the operation of the portion of the Electricity Tariff Revision 2023 approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for the category of domestic consumption.  

The Petitioners state that as per the proposed CEB Tariff Revision for 2023, with respect to domestic consumption, the CEB in effect proposed that the low consumption users of electricity, who are typically from low-income households, ought to subsidize the high consumption users of electricity, who are typically from higher income households.  

The Petitioners state that to their utmost surprise the PUCSL had decided to accept and approve the CEB proposed Tariff Revision 2023 without any changes whatsoever, resulting in an overall tariff increase of over 66%.  

The Petitioners further state that the PUCSL and authorities have failed to provide any reasons or justifications for their decision to impose an unjust tariff hike on low consumption users of electricity in the blocks of 0-30kWh, 31-60kWh and 61-90kWh.  

The Petitioners state that the right to access electricity is a basic and important human right which is interlinked with the fundamental right to life as recognized under our Constitution.  
This petition had been filed through Attorney-at-Law Manjula Balasuriya.     

• The Petitioners further state that the PUCSL and authorities have failed to provide any reasons or justifications for their decision to impose an unjust tariff hike