October 11, Colombo (LNW): The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has announced that it will deliver its final verdict on the proposed adjustments to electricity tariffs on October 14.
The decision follows a formal request by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to increase rates by 6.8 per cent.
According to PUCSL Director Jayanath Herath, the Commission is currently reviewing the proposal, which has sparked a range of responses from stakeholders across the energy and consumer sectors. The proposed increase, while modest in percentage terms, comes at a time of broader unease regarding the financial stability and structural management of the power sector.
Speaking on behalf of the Technical Engineers and Supervisors Association of the CEB, Vice President Nandana Udayakumara pointed to persistent inefficiencies and delays in implementing long-promised reforms as a key reason behind the proposed rate hike. He argued that poor execution of restructuring efforts has exacerbated operational challenges and left the utility in a vulnerable financial position.
Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised by consumer advocacy groups. The Chairman of the Electricity Consumers Association, also Nandana Udayakumara, warned that the cost burden on consumers could become even heavier in the long run, particularly in light of the potential corporatisation or privatisation of sections of the CEB. He alleged that administrative fees, such as the board levy—which currently stands at approximately Rs. 1.5 million—could balloon to nearly Rs. 10 million as a result of institutional restructuring.
