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Sri Lanka plunged into massive power crisis

19 January 2022 07:12 am - 14     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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  • One and a half hour power cuts likely from today
  • CPC unable to supply the required fuel stocks
  • Sapugaskanda plant needs 600 metric tonnes furnace oil to function daily

Sri Lanka's Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had been plunged into a deep crisis as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has been unable to supply the required stock of fuel to the Kelanitissa Power Plant which has already shut down from last night due to the lack of diesel stocks resulting in possible one and a half hour power cuts from today.

The Daily Mirror learns that the Kelanitissa Power plant generates 300 megawatts of electricity on a daily basis but due to the lack of diesel stocks, the power plant has shut down from late last night.

Highly placed sources said that till late last night, the CPC had not indicated any possible date as to when they can supply the diesel stocks to the plant due to the lack of fuel created by the forex crisis, and this may result in one-hour power cuts during the day and 30-minute power cuts in the night daily from today.

Further, from yesterday afternoon, half of the Sapugaskanda Power Plant was also forced to shut down due to the lack of supply of heavy furnace oil but due to the CPC supplying 900 metric tonnes of furnace oil urgently yesterday, half of the plant could continue to function.

However, the plant needs 600 metric tonnes of furnace oil to function daily and if the CPC fails to supply the required stock today, the Sapugaskanda Plant will also temporarily come to a complete halt.

Sources said that the CPC however has assured that they will continue to supply the stocks of heavy furnace oil to the plant till January 22. Further, the Barge Power Plant and the Uthuru Janani Power Plant which also runs on heavy fuel will receive stocks till January 22 to continue their electricity generation.

"So after January 22, if we do not get the required fuel supply to these plants and if we do not get the diesel stocks for Kelanitissa Power plant urgently today, we will be plunged into a crisis and the whole country will have to face daily power cuts," officials said.

Officials further said that due to the lack of continuous fuel, the CEB has been forced to use water for hydropower plants, which are usually stored for the dry months of March and April.

Officials warned that if these water stocks are used up, then by March and April, Sri Lanka will have no choice but to declare an electricity supply schedule daily where limited electricity supply will be provided per day. And if water is used up from the main reservoirs for electricity generation, then this will severely hamper irrigation, resulting in a food crisis by April due to the lack of water.

Till yesterday the CPC was in severe crisis attempting to supply the required stocks to prevent an island-wide power outage, but officials now question if the country can function with an uninterrupted power supply from today. (JAMILA HUSAIN)


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  Comments - 14

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  • Karalasingam Sivalingam Wednesday, 19 January 2022 09:23 AM

    I cannot understand, why hydro power generation could not supply electricity to Colombo. Is the mahaveli generation a failure?

    Karalasingam Sivalingam Wednesday, 19 January 2022 09:34 AM

    No heads are rolling, but power cuts are rolling. What a pity in our city.

    BuffaloaCitizen Wednesday, 19 January 2022 10:03 AM

    The citizens of this country deserve this for all the criminality committed on citizens of the north, racist murdering that happened in 1983 riots. We think natural justice never happens, it is only slow but very sure. Now the country can sing national anthem only in Sinhalese and be happy in the dark. Dan sapada?

    johan Wednesday, 19 January 2022 10:03 AM

    In Western Countries if the Head of the states cannot fulfil peoples need their resign and handover the power to someone. Our leaders must resign if they cannot run a Government

    ANTON Wednesday, 19 January 2022 10:21 AM

    AT LEAST THEY SEEM TO BE PLANNING TO INCREASE THE POPULATION OF SRILANKA.

    Lion Wednesday, 19 January 2022 10:53 AM

    Head of the government is not aware of any thing of this nature, if you have listened to his speech you will be reminded of happy go lucky guy.

    King Wednesday, 19 January 2022 10:57 AM

    Api thamai hondhatama vinasa keruwe!

    Mahasen Wednesday, 19 January 2022 11:06 AM

    Where is the President? If I remember correctly, he ordered all the Ministries

    Punchi Banda Wednesday, 19 January 2022 11:11 AM

    Can we use German Nazi technology, Israeli technical knowledge, Chinese Finance and our ethnic hatreds to build electricity generators fuelled by burning bodies

    Roshanaly Wednesday, 19 January 2022 11:13 AM

    Government should have given the priority to the Electricity than spending the money on the Hambantota Port, Airport and the Lotus tower.

    Mokan Wednesday, 19 January 2022 11:55 AM

    Oh my God

    Glen Wednesday, 19 January 2022 12:56 PM

    If politicians residences and business interests were the first to lose power, this would never happen.

    Mohamed hasni Wednesday, 19 January 2022 02:09 PM

    Now new set of Burdern on the nation. Dan sapada.

    Raj Rajah Wednesday, 19 January 2022 03:00 PM

    We have been living beyond our means since 77. Many projects were created without any financial viability. Hambantota harbour, Mattala airport, Dambulla and Hambantota cricket grounds were few to name. No proper tax regime established. Never took action to eliminate corruption which should have been number one priority. Government runs so many departments which are all white elephants. It should be privatised or closed down. Government is not there to do business. They need to look after tax, defence, judiciary, health, immigration, customs and ports only. Uneducated should never be allowed to contest elections but intellectuals only. Now see the end result. Only Lebanan is another country with similar crisis. Even Maldives is surviving during pandemic. Call it a fate?


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