May 11, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s revised electricity tariffs for the second and third quarters of 2026 officially come into force today (11), following approval granted by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).
The revised pricing structure, originally approved to take effect from April 01, introduces increases ranging from 8 per cent to 14.4 per cent. The adjustment was proposed after authorities highlighted a sharp rise in power generation costs, largely driven by escalating fuel prices in the global market.
Further revisions were later submitted to the PUCSL on April 27 by the National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd, prompting renewed discussions on the financial sustainability of the country’s energy sector.
Despite the increase, the Government has pledged financial support amounting to Rs. 15 billion in an effort to shield the majority of households from the higher costs. Officials stated that this subsidy arrangement means nearly 95 per cent of electricity consumers nationwide will not experience any increase in their monthly bills.
Under the updated structure, domestic users consuming up to 180 units of electricity per month will continue to pay existing rates without any additional charges. However, households exceeding that threshold will see gradual increases depending on their level of consumption.
For example, a household using 210 units monthly will now pay around Rs. 11,330 instead of the previous Rs. 9,570, marking an increase of Rs. 1,760. Meanwhile, consumers using 240 units will see their bill rise from Rs. 12,120 to Rs. 14,330.
The PUCSL also indicated that customers consuming 270 and 300 units per month are expected to face increases of Rs. 2,660 and Rs. 3,110 respectively, reflecting the Government’s move towards cost-reflective energy pricing while attempting to minimise the burden on average consumers.