• Over 500 public consultation submissions reviewed

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) stated that it would announce its final decision on the proposed electricity tariff revision within the week starting today (9), after reviewing over 500 written and oral submissions received during the public consultation process.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, PUCSL Director of Communications Jayanat Herat said: “We received over 500 written and oral submissions during the consultations, and the process of reviewing them was completed by the end of last week. Now the relevant recommendations are being prepared and they will be submitted to the Commission. The final decision will be announced within the week starting from 9 June.”

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has requested an 18.3% tariff increase for the June to December 2025 period, saying that it is necessary to manage rising operational costs and pay off debts, including what it refers to as “legacy debt” from previous borrowing. According to the CEB, even with the proposed increase, average rates would still be around 5.4% lower than they were at the beginning of the year. This is due to a 20% reduction in January, which brought the average rate down to about Rs. 24 per kilowatt-hour.

CEB Spokesperson Eng. Dhammike Wimalaratne said recently that tariffs were not adjusted from 2014 to 2022 despite increases in fuel prices, spare parts, and generation costs. He said that the CEB continued operations during that time by taking debts and postponing payments, which has led to the financial strain that it is facing now.

However, Electricity Consumers’ Association General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika has questioned the need for a hike, saying that the CEB made Rs. 57 billion in profit in 2023 and Rs. 144 billion profit in 2024. In his view, the current financial performance of the CEB allows for a tariff reduction of at least 20%, not an increase.