CEB Unions threaten strike, power blackout looms

Sri Lanka could be plunged into darkness if the government proceeds with its plan to dissolve the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) without meeting trade union demands, the country’s electricity engineers warned yesterday.   

The CEB Technical Engineers and Superintendents Association has threatened an immediate strike and potential shutdown of the main power grids, raising fears of a nationwide blackout, if the government issues a gazette establishing six new subsidiary companies to replace the CEB.  

Association Vice President Nandana Udayakumara told the Daily Mirror that the warning has already been formally communicated to the Energy Minister and relevant authorities. He said, “If the government gazettes the dissolution of the CEB without fulfilling the promises made to employees during restructuring, we will launch a strike without prior notice.”  

Udayakumara added that 24 electricity trade unions including the Engineers’ Association, Technical Engineers and Officers’ Association, and the Industrial Technicians’ Association are preparing to join the strike. Once industrial action begins, he warned, no maintenance or repairs will be carried out, and authorities may be forced to switch off the main grids for system safety.  

The government’s controversial restructuring plan proposes to replace the CEB with six subsidiary companies, allocating assets, liabilities, responsibilities, and operations accordingly. The framework has reportedly been finalized under guidance from the Attorney General, the Minister of Finance, and the Treasury. Cabinet approval is expected to precede the official gazetting of the CEB’s dissolution.  

Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody previously told Parliament that the restructuring would comply with the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Act No. 14 of 2025 and Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024. The six new companies National System Operator Pvt. Ltd., National Transmission Network Service Provider Pvt. Ltd., Electricity Generation Lanka Pvt. Ltd., Electricity Distribution Lanka Pvt. Ltd., Energy Ventures Lanka Pvt. Ltd., and CEB Employees Fund Pvt. Ltd. are registered as Treasury and government-owned entities under the 2007 Companies Registration Act, not private companies.  

The unions, however, remain unconvinced, insisting their concerns over job security, benefits, and operational transparency must be addressed before the restructuring proceeds.