With the diesel stocks being run out since May 07, power cuts may extend up to seven hours a day should curfew extend, warned Eranga Kudahewa, Co-Secretary of the Engineers Association of the Ceylon Electricity Board.
This is mainly due to the power demand being increased upon any curfew lift, the Union Co-Secretary noted speaking to a briefing held today (11).
Accordingly, a power cut of about five hours and thirty minutes may occur in the daytime and a power cut of about two hours and thirty minutes in the nighttime, he revealed.
Kudahewa went on saying that that the power plants would not generate electricity as the supply of fuel oil had been completely cut off and that the Sojitz power plant had diesel stocks only for tomorrow. The Norochcholai power plant generates only 540 megawatts due to the breakdown of one generator, he added.
The Union Co-Secretary also emphasised that as the ship carrying diesel is scheduled to return to Sri Lanka on May 17, the existing stocks of diesel have to be used for transportation and power generation with limitations.
MIAP
