By Ifham Nizam
A daily eight-hour power cut would be inevitable in the New Year if the power tariff was not increased again, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told the media yesterday.
The Minister said the projected loss of the CEB was Rs. 277 billion in 2023 and electricity tariffs will definitely be revised in January 2023. A detailed report on this would be submitted at the first Cabinet meeting in January 2023.
Minister Wijesekera said two units were operating at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Complex. There was enough coal until 08 January.
He said that three coal shipments were arriving on 05, 09 and 16 January.
He also said that despite the delays in the arrival of coal shipments, the government hoped to keep the duration of power interruptions limited to two hours and 20 minutes.
Plans were underway to provide solar panels to all religious places, free-of-charge, up to five kilowatts. These solar power units would be provided within a period of three months, under an Indian credit facility, said Minister Wijesekera, adding that he believed that it would bring down the electricity cost to a minus in most of the religious places of worship countrywide.