PUCSL in the dark over power cuts

As Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody warned of possible future power interruptions due to mounting pressure on the energy sector, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) said it has received no communication on any such plans.

PUCSL Director of Communications Jayanat Herat told The Daily Morning yesterday (18) that any power cuts require prior approval, stressing that the Commission has not been informed of any move in that direction.

"The electricity provider must obtain PUCSL approval before implementing any such measures. However, there has been no related communication so far," he asserted.

The clarification comes after Jayakody, addressing Parliament in response to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, said that although the Government has so far managed to avoid power cuts, a situation may arise where interruptions become unavoidable. He noted that the Government had been able to maintain a continuous electricity supply despite challenges stemming from conflicts in the Middle East (ME), which have impacted the energy sector. 

“There would have been power cuts by now if the Government had not been able to properly manage the energy sector in the wake of the ME conflict. However, a time may come when we will have to impose power interruptions. The Government is doing its utmost to avoid such a situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the President noted that there is no immediate need for power cuts in the country. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that according to the current plans put forward by the authorities, power cuts are not scheduled. However, officials have cautioned that the unpredictable conditions of the ongoing conflict in the ME make it impossible for anyone to definitively determine future limits. For now, under the existing schedule, there will be no power outages — but, any future decisions will depend on how the scope and intensity of the conflict evolve, the President said. 

Source -  The Morning