January 11, Colombo (LNW): More than 2,200 employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) who opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) have appealed to the Minister of Energy for urgent intervention, warning that prolonged delays in the restructuring process have left them facing serious personal and professional hardship.
In a formal letter yesterday (10), the group stated that they had applied for retirement under the VRS introduced as part of sweeping reforms to the electricity sector under the amended Sri Lanka Electricity Act of 2024.
The reforms envisage the dissolution of the existing CEB and the creation of new entities to handle generation, transmission, system operations and distribution.
The VRS was officially announced by Gazette in late August 2025, allowing employees a two-month window to either transfer to the new companies or exit the service. The affected employees said they had informed the CEB of their decision to retire by the stipulated deadline in October, fully adhering to the legal framework governing the process.
Despite this, they allege that CEB management has failed to release them from service due to the continued delay in formally declaring the “Appointed Date” for restructuring. As a result, they say they are effectively trapped in employment, unable to retire, accept private sector positions, take up overseas job offers or pursue independent livelihoods. The employees emphasised that their immediate concern is not compensation payments, but the basic right to exit the organisation without further obstruction.
According to the letter, the Ministry of Energy had earlier indicated proposed dates for the restructuring through official correspondence, initially pointing to January 01, 2026, and later revising this to February 01, 2026, subject to Cabinet approval and gazetting. However, the failure to formally gazette the date has left successor entities without legal standing and extended uncertainty for staff.
Further anxiety has been triggered by recent changes at the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat, where the Director General — who had reportedly given verbal assurances regarding the February timeline — has since submitted his resignation, effective mid-January. The employees warned that this leadership gap has stalled decision-making at a critical juncture.
The group described mounting social and economic consequences stemming from the delay, including lost overseas employment opportunities, visa complications, missed recruitment cycles in the private sector and increasing financial and psychological strain on families.
They also raised concerns over inconsistent administrative actions, claiming that some staff members who travelled abroad have been issued notices that could jeopardise their VRS eligibility, while others have been allowed to withdraw their applications selectively.
In their appeal, the employees urged the Minister to ensure the appointed date is gazetted without delay, ideally by early February, to allow VRS applicants to leave the service without prejudice to their rights and to protect the entitlements of those who have already departed the country for time-sensitive employment.
They cautioned that continued uncertainty is eroding morale and productivity within the CEB, arguing that compelling unwilling employees to remain in service undermines both the reform agenda and the effective functioning of the national power utility.
