Interim report on power outage: Action only after full perusal of report: Minister

Pic by Kithsiri De Mel

By Sandun A Jayasekera

Though an Electrical Superintendent of the Kerawalapitiya grid-substation was responsible for the islandwide power outage on August 17, action against him cannot be taken until  the interim report submitted to the Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma is fully perused, Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.   

He added that any action against him has to be taken in accordance to the criteria laid out in the Establishment Code.   
Addressing the weekly cabinet news briefing yesterday, Minister Rambukwella said the cabinet discussed in detail the interim report on the power outage submitted by the chairman of the nine member committee Prof. Rahula Attalage that probed the 12 hour power failure.   

“The power outage involves human as well as technical shortcomings. This is an extremely a complex and serious situation. The final report of the inquiry would recommend on how to prevent a repetition of a major power failure of this magnitude, how to prevent tripping of other power plants when one power plant was broken down and prevent an island wide power outage etc,” Minister Rambukwella stressed.   

The Committee has recognised the non - availability of a disaster management methodology for monitoring and maintenance, while having furnished 11 more recommendations including the urgency of “having a more reliable monitoring and maintenance methodology for prevention of disasters,” he added.  Further to this, the Committee has reported the cause for the total power outage on 17.08.2020 as a mistake committed by an officer responsible for general maintenance at that time in the Kerawalapitiya Grid Sub Station, Minister Rambukwella said.