The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will ensure an uninterrupted supply of power islandwide and has no plans for scheduled power cuts, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said today.
Taking to Twitter, Minister Wijesekera stated that the CEB will procure the necessary supplementary power needed to maintain a 24-hour uninterrupted supply of power.
Speculations were rife on scheduled power cuts after the Cabinet approved releasing the required amount of water from the Samanalawewa reservoir to the Udawalawe reservoir to be thereafter distributed to farmers for cultivation.
Commenting on the decision, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera informed Parliament today that operations at the Samanalawewa hydroelectric power plant are likely to come to a complete halt by 16 August, following the Cabinet decision to release water from the reservoir to the Udawalawe Reservoir.
Pointing out that electricity will need to be purchased in order to ensure an uninterrupted power supply from 15 August onwards, the Minister warned that failure to do so will result in at least a 3-hour power cut in certain areas.
“If we fail to purchase electricity by then, it will result in power cuts of at least 3 hours in the Matara, Galle, Ratnapura, and Hambantota Districts. We will be forced to enforce a one-hour power cut during the day and a two-hour power cut at night,” he explained.
Minister Wijesekera stated that, however, they have taken measures to utilize a request made earlier in March for the purchase of electricity to resolve the issue at hand, adding that power cuts cannot be implemented.
Revealing that the Ministry has no issues in releasing water as requested, the Minister emphasized that, however, it was essential to purchase electricity in order to ensure uninterrupted power supply from August 15.
Minister Kanchana Wijesekera added that the Ministry of Power and Energy hopes to do so by procuring the necessary electricity. (NewsWire)