August 19, Colombo (LNW): Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne has formally endorsed the certificate on the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill, officially enacting it into law as the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Act, No. 14 of 2025.
This legislative milestone follows the passage of the Bill in Parliament on August 06, where it was approved during its Third Reading with a majority of 96 votes.
The newly enacted law introduces a number of structural and policy reforms aimed at modernising Sri Lanka’s power sector and aligning it with broader energy and environmental goals.
Among the most notable changes introduced under the Act is the replacement of the long-standing National Electricity Advisory Council with a more strategically aligned framework for developing a National Electricity Policy—which will now form a core part of the overarching National Policy on Energy.
Additionally, the Act replaces the term Wholesale Electricity Market with National Electricity Market, signalling a broader redefinition of how energy is traded and regulated in the country. The new market model is underpinned by key objectives: ensuring the delivery of uninterrupted and affordable electricity, encouraging efficiency across the system, reducing the carbon footprint of power generation, and boosting investment in renewable energy sources.
The Bill, introduced by the government earlier this year, sparked considerable debate both within and outside Parliament. It was met with legal challenges, including petitions filed before the Supreme Court by various stakeholders, such as the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union. Concerns raised ranged from governance transparency to the potential impact on national energy security and public accountability.
However, the Supreme Court determined that, subject to certain amendments, the proposed legislation was in line with constitutional provisions—paving the way for its passage and eventual certification by the Speaker.
