The electricity tariffs cannot be revised on the mere basis of a Cabinet paper presented by the Subject Minister or the will of the Ceylon Electricity Board, asserted Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake, speaking to a briefing yesterday (28).
“We haven’t received such a proposal so far. We would like to tell the public, that you don’t have to panic unnecessarily. We’re engaging in a discussion with the public on how the electricity bill should be increased. In my opinion, certain parties have given wrong data to the Minister. The decision to increase electricity tariffs should be taken through the Public Utilities Commission. Neither the Ceylon Electricity Board nor the Cabinet can increase electricity tariffs, according to law. If anyone goes on saying that the units 30, 60, 90, 180 should be brought in to a common level, that’s not the procedure accepted by the world. Generally, the common procedure is that a necessary concession is provided to those consuming lower levels of electricity. Changes such as 58, 45, or 42 cannot be made on the will of certain parties. I can assure that this affairs is not carried out on the mere basis of Cabinet papers or the will of the Ceylon Electricity Board.”
MIAP
