The action of cutting power may have to be carried from today (24) itself given the ongoing fuel shortage, said the Engineers’ Association of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), speaking to a briefing yesterday (23).
“Sapugaskanda Plant has been inactive since about 22 noon. The Power Barge Plant has fuel oil only for about a day and a half. The Uthuru Janani Power Plant has a storage of oil sufficient for about four days, hence diesel for about four and a half days.
Considering the situation, the national grid may lose a capacity of about 160 – 180 megawatts from the evening of Monday. Therefore, a power cut may have to be proceeded for a shorter period on Monday night and from 2.30 pm to 3.00 pm, a period of about an hour and a half, on Monday eve. The Yugadanavi Plant has fuel oil only for about ten days.” said Eranga Kudahewa, Committee Member of the Engineers’ Association of the CEB.
Contributing, Union Secretary Dhammika Wimalaratna said,”Should this fuel situation continue, we may be compelled to cut power for about an hour on Monday and for about one hour and forty five minutes – two hours from Tuesday, running up to a couple of days. These cuts may be carried out under four sections; from 2.00 pm, or 3.00 pm in the eve to 9.00 pm at night, under four sections. The exact timetable will be revealed on Monday. The timetable will be forwarded to the Public Utilities Commission by Monday morning.”
MIAP
