Not sabotage but lightning caused power failure: Minister

Dismissing speculation that Thursday’s countrywide power failure was an act of sabotage, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said yesterday it was triggered by a bolt of lightning striking the main line that transmits electricity from Polpitiya to Kolonnawa.

He told the media the lightning resulted from the unusual weather conditions that prevailed on Thursday afternoon accompanied by thunder showers and tornadoes that wreaked havoc in many parts of the country.

“This el-nino weather phenomenon is capable of wreaking havoc. I cannot say it will not happen again. Our preliminary investigations have revealed that a lightning strike during the adverse weather condition was the cause of this major power outage,” the minister said.

He said the Lakviajaya Coal Power Plant (LCPP) in Puttalam also broke down and would take another two to three days to resume power generation and as such requested consumers to use electricity sparingly.

Two committees of officials and experts have been appointed to look into the power failure and the cause of the breakdown and the extent of the damage would be known when their reports are received.
The five-member experts committee appointed by the minister, comprises Prof. Ranjith Perera, Prof. Janaka Ekanayaka, Prof. J.R.Lucas, Jayasiri Karunanayaka and Rienzi Fernando.

The seven-member committee appointed by CEB Chairman Anura Wijepala comprises Additional General Manager A.K. Samarasinghe, Chief Engineer J.G. Aluthge, Dr. S. Wijekone, Deputy GM H.D.S. Thimothius, D.S.R. Alahakone, Kamani Jayasekara and K.P. Kusumshanta.

Deputy Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ajith Perera said there was no damage done to any power plant, transmission centre or to the main line.

Mr. Wijepala said the safety valves at the LCPP had been automatically tripped and that it would take another three days to fully restore power generation at the LCPP.

Responding to a journalist, Mr. Wijepala said the CEB was capable of supplying power to the entire country even in the absence of the 900 MWs from the LCPP because the CEB generates sufficient electricity to meet the total demand. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

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