Govt.’s restructuring plan for CEB Each power plant will be run by separate companies

• No one should shout against the restructuring of CEB

By Yohan Perera  

Each power plant will be run by separate companies as per the government’s restructuring plan of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara told Parliament yesterday.   

The minister who was responding to questions raised by opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka on the plan to divide CEB into 18 companies, said the restructuring plan has to go ahead to ensure uninterrupted power supply.   

“No one should shout against the restructuring of CEB just because they were not able to restructure and stabilize the power sector when they were in power,” he said.  

The loss of CEB by end December this year is expected to be Rs. 152 billion. Some argue that CEB is currently enjoying an operational profit. This is because the thermal power and furnace oil power generation is halted. We have already given a concession worth Rs. 130 mllion while the corporate sector is given a concession worth Rs. 100 million. The total payment due to the suppliers would be Rs. 300 billion while CEB owes Rs. 3 billion to those who have put up solar panels.