• Says compared to 2023, daily disconnects have risen by 783
• Blames CEB for not reducing tariff despite reported profit-making

The average daily number of electricity disconnections for unpaid bills has risen from 2,660 last year to 3,443 this year, according to the Electricity Consumers’ Association.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that a total of 970,933 electricity disconnections, including 793,192 in the Domestic category, 152475 in the General category, 1,239 in the Government category, 18,230 in the Industrial category, 5,748 in the Religious category, and 49 in the Hotel category, had been carried out from January to December 2023 due to the non-payment of electricity bills on time. The average daily number of disconnections had been 2,660.

A total of 628,286 electricity disconnections have been carried out from January to June this year, including 505,949 in the Domestic category, 111,276 in the General category, 8,579 in the Industrial category, 2,090 in the Religious category, 353 in the Government category, and 39 in the Hotel category. During the period of the first six months this year, the average daily number of disconnections stands at 3,442.

“Despite their higher profit status, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has not taken steps to reduce the electricity tariffs. There is a policy decision made by the Government that electricity tariffs should be revised four times a year, but the CEB has revised tariffs only twice this year. This is the reason why many consumers have not been able to pay their bills on time. If the tariffs were lowered in line with the CEB’s income status, consumers would not have had to pay higher bills. In this way, the consumers will even have to mortgage their properties to pay bills.”

Attempts to contact Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody and CEB Spokesperson Dhanushka Parakramasinghe proved futile.