The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) stated that the recently passed Electricity (Amendment) Act will not have an immediate impact on the commission, as it will take around three months for the law to be fully implemented.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, PUCSL Director – Corporate Communication Jayanat Herat said that certain responsibilities linked to ongoing power sector reform work must be completed before all provisions of the new law come into effect. 

“Until then, the PUCSL will continue to operate under the provisions of the Sri Lanka Electricity Act, No. 20 of 2009,” he said.

The Parliament passed the Electricity (Amendment) Bill on 6 August with a majority of 96 votes, after its second reading received 121 votes in favour and 25 against. The Bill, presented earlier this year, faced challenges in the Supreme Court (SC) from several parties including the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union. 

On 30 June, the SC ruled that some clauses were inconsistent with the Constitution and would require both a two-thirds Parliamentary majority and a public referendum to be enacted in their original form. The Bill was later amended in line with the SC’s recommendations before being passed.

Before its passage, the PUCSL had told the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development that the Bill would undermine the rights of electricity consumers. It warned that the removal of the Commission’s authority to receive and resolve complaints would force consumers to seek legal action even for minor disputes.