Power-cut hours to be trimmed: PUCSL Chairman

There is a tendency in reducing the number of power shedding hours by at least two hours with the presence of sufficient diesel and furnace oil and until we get enough rain, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Rathnayaka said.

He said within two or three days we will receive adequate fuel for power generation in the country.

We have received a 30,000 MT furnace oil shipment today and the unloading process will start by tomorrow, he said.

We have sufficient coal in hand to operate the coal power plants. After once the adequate fuel arrives, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) would generate 2,100 MW of electricity including 5 GW from hydropower which sufficient for the daily usage.

"With the 900 MW from Norochcholei power plant and another 1,200 MW from operating plants with the use of furnace oil and naptha, we can generate about 2,100 MW of electricity," he said.

Therefore, we would be able to trim the number of power shedding hours in the future. However, the power shedding has to be continued until the country receives adequate rainfall, the Chairman said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)