News

EUA threatens electricity consumer rebellion against proposed tariff hikes

Published

3 years ago

2022/12/3

By Anuradha Hiripitiyage

Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera had instructed officials to charge Rs 50 per unit of electricity from those who consumed less than 30 units a month, Electricity Users Association (EUA) Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika told the media yesterday.He said that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) claimed that it needed to secure an additional 300 billion next year to cover its costs.

“Now, the low-income families get a unit of electricity at eight rupees. The Minister wants to increase it to 50. This will increase the monthly electricity bill of a low-income family to 1500 rupees,” he said.

Dhammika said the proposed revision will bring the electricity bill of a middle-class family to 8,000 rupees a month.

“This is a disaster for the people. If this goes into effect, we will start a campaign to refrain from paying the the bills. There are seven million electricity consumers in the country, and we will unite them all,” he said.

Dhammika added that the CEB recorded a profit of six billion rupees in October and if the CEB increased the price of electricity again, the EUA would take legal action.The CEB made a profit of six billion rupees in October. Electricity was produced using water, coal, and renewable sources, he said.

“The average cost of electricity production was around five rupees. A unit of electricity was sold at around 32 rupees. The Minister says they are still making a loss. The Minister has no power to increase tariffs. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) can only increase the tariff. The current Minister has said there is no need for a PUCSL. He wants to increase tariffs the way he wants, without oversight. We won’t allow that to happen,” he said.

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Latest News

Cabinet approves recruitment of 2,284 to government service

Published

3 hours ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Prime Minister to recruit 2,284 to the government service as per the recommendations of the ‘Committee appointed to review the recruitment process of the Government Service at its meeting held on 14.11.2025.

1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education 196

2. Ministry of Health and Mass Media 480

3. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and
Local Governments 04

4. Ministry of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic
Development 19

5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development 778

6. Ministry of Justice and National Integration 222

7. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development 107

8. Ministry of Defense 73

9. Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources 20

10. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs 21

11. Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development 36

12. Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
04
13. Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
Facilities 02

14. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation 74

15. Western Provincial Council 230

16. Uva Provincial Council 08

17. North Western Provincial Council 08

18. Finance Commission 02

Latest News

Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities

Published

3 hours ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

On a request made by the government of Sri Lanka, the Asian Development Bank has given its concurrence to provide a grant of United States dollars 3 million under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.

It is expected to supply materials required for providing essential life security services for the communities affected, from the said grant.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to enter into the relevant agreements with the Asian Development Bank to obtain the said grant.

Business

Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region

Published

3 hours ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
50 Mega Watts each) on the basis of construction, ownership and execution with a monitoring period of 20 years.

Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.

Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
Power Stations to Consortium of Vidullanka PLC & David Pieris Motor Company (Lanka) Limited and WindForce PLC.