Cut use of ACs

President Maithripala Sirisena is expected to issue a circular requiring the government offices to reduce the usage of air conditioners in the wake of the prevailing dry spell that may cause a power crisis as well, a Deputy Minister said today.

Deputy Minister of Energy Ajith P. Perera told a media briefing that a circular would be issued by the President to limit the usage of air conditioners and to reduce the temperature only up to 26 degrees centigrade on the air conditioners.

He said more energy had to be used when air conditioners were used to reduce the temperature of a building to as low as 22, 21 or 20 degrees centigrade.

He said State owned power stations had decided to use water sparingly as the levels in the reservoirs were decreasing fast.

“Hydro power accounts to only 36 percent of the country’s electricity generation, but we have decided to use water sparingly given the present weather conditions,” he said.

“We expect to carry on without power cuts till March this year as inter-monsoon rains are expected around that time. However, a decision has to be made if the inter-monsoonal rains do not come as expected,” the Deputy Minister said.

The Deputy Minister said there would not be an issue in the long term with the decision to go for solar power, while a major liquid gas (LNG) power plant would be constructed in Kerawalapitiya in the near future.