• Currently reviewing the submissions collected during the public consultation 

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) is currently reviewing the submissions gathered during the recently held public consultation on decisions taken by the Ministry of Energy and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) regarding the renewable energy sector.

Once the review is complete, the PUCSL will prepare a report with recommendations for the relevant authorities, including the Energy Ministry and the CEB.

“We are in the process of reviewing the submissions made by participants during the consultation. After that, we will compile a report with our recommendations and share it with the relevant stakeholders. That will happen in the coming days,” said the PUCSL’s Director of Communication, Jayanat Heart while speaking to The Daily Morning.

The public consultation, held earlier this month (July), focused on several recent developments in the renewable energy space, including the CEB’s controversial decision to disconnect solar power systems during the Sinhala and Hindu New Year period.

Between 10 and 21 April, the CEB ordered the temporary shutdown of all 'Net Plus' and 'Net Plus Plus' solar systems with a capacity of 100 kilowatts and above. The directive, issued via a letter dated 4 April 2025 by Acting General Manager, Engineer Wasantha Edussuriya, claimed that the move was needed to maintain grid stability during the holiday season, when the overall electricity demand typically drops.

The instruction, which was based on a CEB decision taken in March, drew heavy criticism from industry stakeholders. The Electricity Consumers’ Association estimated that the decision caused around Rs. 550 million in losses to solar producers and nearly Rs. 1 billion in additional costs to the State due to the increased use of more expensive energy sources.