Five-year plan to enhance quality of power

By Lalin Fernandopulle

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) the regulator of the electricity sector has launched a five-year strategic plan to enhance efficiency in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

The PUCSL set up the 12-goal ambitious plan to address issues in the electricity sector and turn around the performance of the national power supplier.

The Activity Plan 2015 comprises the projects that are envisaged for 2015 to achieve the objectives set for 2020.

PUCSL Director General Damitha Kumarasinghe said that the objective of the strategic plan is to enhance the quality of power, supply and services that would help minimise losses to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and provide a satisfactory service to consumers.

PUCSL, the watchdog of the electricity sector with water and petroleum sectors to be added to its mandate shortly aims at creating awareness on consumer rights and improve the standard of power supply and services. “Our role is to intervene with the stakeholders within the regulatory framework stipulated in the relevant Acts.

The cooperation and contribution of stakeholders is vital to achieve the goals which will result in quality services to consumers,” Kumarasinghe said.

Improving the quality of power such as correct voltage and frequency to minimise damage to equipment, improving the supply of uninterrupted electricity except for planned interruptions for repairs and service improvement, electricity cost and charges, safety and electricity demand are some of the key objectives of the five-year plan.

PUCSL will calculate the index periodically and conduct random checks to ensure the quality of power supply and services. The regulator is conducting studies and hopes to achieve the goals through the supply and service code which will be launched in January.

The code will comprise the rights and obligations of consumers and the improvement of the quality of power, supply and services.

“We hope to reduce the duration of power interruptions to 24 hours per customer per annum and benchmark against other countries having established figures. The national figures will be applied to customers of all levels,” Kumarasinghe said.

The PUCSL hopes to reduce the average supply restoration time and provide a 24-hour supply of electricity. The time taken to restore services by the supplier is too long, according to consumers who often face a sudden breakdown in supply for long periods.

Consumers face enormous hardships in obtaining services and restoring power supply. They do not know whom, where and when to inform when there is a breakdown in supply, default in the meter or errors in bills.

The plan will take into account the duration and frequency of power interruption.

Tube lights cannot be used in certain areas of Colombo due to low voltage. Consumers have complained of staggering amounts they have to pay to repair equipment damaged by frequent power interruptions.

Safety of electricity use is a key factor the PUCSL has focused on to minimise the number of electrocution casualties. The regulator targets to bring down the number of deaths from 180 in 2012 to 20 in keeping with its 20-20 Vision.

The number of deaths caused by electrocution last year was 76 and the number dropped to 52 by October 31. PUCSL hope to bring the number down to around 60 by the end of this year.

“Having achieved around 90 percent electrification in the country it is time to focus on quality of power and uninterrupted service to customers which will help minimise losses to consumers and the service provider,” a PUCSL official said.

He said that Supply Code will comprise information on how and where to make complaints. We hope to educate consumers on their rights and obligations within a year and achieve the objectives in the five-year plan.

The PUCSL set up in 2002 mediates between the consumer and the licencee.