Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has approved an overall 14.2 per cent of electricity tariff reduction from tomorrow (July 01), subject to conditions, the PUCSL Chairman said.  

The category with consumption of less than 30 units will be reduced by 65% of the cost.

Consumers that come under the category of above 31 units and below 60 units will be charged 51.5% of the total cost. 

Those who use between 61 and 90 units of electricity will get a 24.5 percent reduction.

A 26.3 percent reduction will be imposed on hotel sector.

The other conditions relating to the 2023 electricity tarrif revision are as follows:

Nine percent reduction on Industry category;

Five percent reduction on Commercial Buildings; 16 percent overall reduction on religious purposes category & 0.8 percent reduction on government institutions.

The PUCSL requests the CEB and LECO to take prompt action to ensure that residents of all condominium properties are billed according to their respective tariff categories.

The Commission also said streetlight consumption too should be metered or estimated, and the Local Authority or Road Development Authority be billed.

Security deposits obtained from consumers shall be invested and interest shall be paid out of the return on the investments.

The interest on any security deposits obtained for the supply of electricity shall be paid/deducted from the monthly bill of all consumers.

Also the PUCSL directed to execute fuel supply agreements with CPC and Lanka Coal Company and establish Power Purchase Agreements between CEB transmission and CEB generation plants, Power Sales Agreements between Distribution Licensees and CEB Transmission Licensee.

All due payments to Renewable Energy based electricity generators (including small scale roof top solar) to be settled as soon as possible. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)