No imminent power cuts

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has no plans to introduce power cuts in the near future, a CEB spokesman said.

He said the (CEB) noted with concern that a newspaper headline which appeared on March 22 on possible power cuts in three weeks time. As all the thermal power plants are now back in operation, with the current hydro storage, the CEB is in a position to meet the electricity demand. Therefore the CEB will not impose power cuts in the near future.

The total hydro storage at the beginning of the year was around 85% of the total capacity and with the prevailing dry spell the storage has reached 50% of the total capacity. The normal hydro storage behaviour is that the hydro storage depleted during January to April as these months are generally dry. However, the present storage is at satisfactory levels.

With the onset of inter monsoon rains and the South-West monsoon during mid April to June, it is anticipated that the hydro catchments will receive adequate rains so that hydro system storage will rise again.

The hydro storage is utilised to meet the irrigation water requirement in the Mahaweli area and the drinking water requirements of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board in addition to meeting the electricity demand.

If the inter-monsoon and the South-West monsoon are delayed or the intensity is reduced the CEB will continue to generate the maximum thermal power to provide electricity to consumers incurring heavy expenditure on fuel.

Hence consumers should conserve energy by switching off unwanted lights/illuminations during this period, he said.