The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) says that all coal-fired power plants generate electricity at full capacity and are connected to the national grid.
However, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission Janaka Ratnayake stated that some hydropower plants are not operational due to trade union action.
He said that the reason for this was the inadequacy of the instructions of the Ceylon Electricity Board’s system control unit as a result of the trade union action launched at midnight yesterday.
The CEB Engineers’ Union had warned that the power supply would be cut off from 08.00 am today due to the trade union action.
However, the CEB Engineers’ Union, which launched a trade union action based on several demands, decided to suspend the strike this morning.
The union said it had decided to suspend the strike following successful talks with President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
“Respecting the President’s assurance that the CEB would ensure the proposed amendments to the Act, the union decided to continue the strike in part, preventing a complete power outage in the system until the demands were met,” the union added.
However, several areas including Galle, Kurunegala, Kandy, Dehiwala, Mattegoda, Dickwella, Mount Lavinia, Kollupitiya, Embilipitiya, Kekirawa, Moratuwa, Gampaha and Ratmalana have been cut off.
According to CEB trade union representative Ranjan Jayalal, electricity was restored in several areas by 06.30 am.
He further assured that the power supply would be fully restored in the next few hours.
Meanwhile, the Colombo District Court recently issued an injunction restraining the public from interrupting the supply of electricity due to the trade union action taken by the Electrical Engineers’ Association.
That was after the Colombo District Judge considered a complaint lodged by the Ceylon Electricity Board.
The Minister of Energy and Energy has expressed his displeasure regarding this strike. He said that Sri Lanka could never move forward with these inefficient and economically burdensome trade union action.
The Minister said in a Twitter message that many trade unions in Sri Lanka work not for the betterment of their organization but only for their own enjoyment.
