News

No cost recovery by CEB despite sharp price increase

Published

4 years ago

2022/10/30

By Ifham Nizam

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) expects to collect revenue between Rs 32 and 35 billion in October, up from a monthly Rs. 20 billion earlier.Though a 75 per cent tariff increase was enforced in August, CEB was able to collect only Rs. 29.5 b in September. This is due to variation in the billing process, a top CEB official said.CEB Finance Manager Tissa Liyanage told The Sunday Island that before the price revision they were collecting nearly Rs. 20 billion monthly. “Now total income would be between Rs. 32 and 35 billion.”

According to electricity sector regulator, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) the annual revenue requirement as filed by CEB is Rs. 505 billion (excluding LECO costs) requiring 82.4% increase in revenue to recover the projected costs for 2022. When the proposed tariff revision is applied, the overall revenue increase is forecast at 512 billion (including LECO sales) meaning a 79% increase.

The tariff revision has been submitted in terms of Section 30(2) of Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009 and the tariff methodology approved by the PUCSL.The PUCSL stated that it rejected the CEB’s proposal to increase electricity tariffs by 229%, capping the hike at 75%, after taking all public and other stakeholder comments into account.

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the CEB is likely to make a loss of Rs. 152 billion in the next four months despite the electricity tariff hike implemented in August.

“During the first eight months of the year, the CEB has lost over Rs. 108.67 billion,” he said.

Irrespective of the massive losses, the minister said it has been estimated that an additional income of a monthly Rs. 15 billion could be generated by the CEB following the upward tariff revision effective from August 10 – the first after nine years.Wijesekera attributed the long delay in introducing a cost-reflective pricing mechanism as the key reason for the massive losses incurred. He added these losses were due to the wrong policies of successive governments rather than wrong decisions of officials.

“Inability to implement new power generation projects and failure to switch to efficient least cost alternative energy sources are key reasons for our present predicament. This compelled us to depend on fuel-based power generation last year,” he said.

In addition, he said increased global fuel and coal prices as well as the rupee’s depreciation adversely impacted the finances of the CEB. This particularly applied to 2022.

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News

Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted

Published

12 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.

Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.

Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.

News

Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed

Published

12 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.

It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.

Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.

Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions

• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981

News

Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts

Published

12 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.