News

PUCSL chief requests CEB to propose electricity tariff reduction

Published

1 year ago

April 4, 2023

editor

The chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) has urged the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to propose a tariff reduction taking into account the recent developments in the country that drive down the electricity utility.

In a press release, PUCSL chief Janaka Ratnayake listed several reasons as to why the CEB should slash the tariffs.

He stated that, as per actual data for the first quarter of the year, the electricity demand in the country has dropped by 18% in comparison to 2022, explaining that this reduces the reliance on high-cost oil-fired thermal electricity generation.

Apart from the demand, the USD exchange rate too has gone down from LKR 370 per USD to around LKR 325 per USD, which is a 13% reduction, Ratnayake noted, thus noting that this brings down fuel and other import costs of the CEB. “This alone would reduce costs by about 20% per annum.”

In addition to the aforementioned two cost divers, the international fuel prices too have reduced significantly, and as a result, the fuel costs to CEB would reduce significantly. “At present, the Richards Bay Coal index is at 133 USD/MT, Singapore PLATTS for Furnace Oil is 403 USD/MT, Singapore PLATTS for Diesel is 98.38 USD/bbl and Singapore PLATTS for high-quality chemical Naptha is 674 USD /MT.”

In a recent letter to the CEB, Ratnayake requested the CEB to propose a reduced electricity tariff structure capturing all these recent developments by 15 May.

“This is expected to provide much-needed relief to all the consumers, especially the vulnerable Domestic category consumers and the SME sector of the economy,” he said further.

(adaderana.lk)

News

MFA Consular Division to be relocated to “Suhurupaya”

Published

2 hours ago

April 23, 2024

editor

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that their Consular Affairs Division will be relocated to the new premises at the 16th floor of “Suhurupaya”, Sri Subhuthipura Road, Battaramulla with effect from May 02, 2024.

All consular services will be provided to the public at the new office premises during regular office hours from Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4.15 pm, an MFA media release notes.

It further adds :

Document authentication services provided by the Consular Affairs Division in Colombo will be temporarily suspended for the public on 29 and 30 April 2024 in order to facilitate the transition of the Electronic Document Authentication System (e-DAS) to the new premises at Suhurupaya.

However, during the said transition period, the Regional Consular Offices in Jaffna, Trincomalee, Kurunegala, Kandy and Matara will remain open to the public during regular office hours. Applications for document authentication can be submitted to the Regional Offices as usual and the authenticated documents will be delivered to the applicants only on Thursday, 02 May 2024.

The public is also hereby advised to submit any urgent application for authentication to the Consular Division in Colombo, or any Regional Consular Offices by 4.15 pm on 26 April 2024, with a view to avoiding any inconvenience.

News

Sri Lanka Railways GM passes away

Published

3 hours ago

April 23, 2024

editor

Sri Lanka Railways General Manager H. M. K. W. Bandara passed away today (23) due to a sudden illness.

He was appointed as the railways chief in November 2023.

News

CPC Vice Minister Sun Haiyan to visit Sri Lanka

Published

6 hours ago

April 23, 2024

editor

Vice Minister of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, Sun Haiyan, is set to arrive in Sri Lanka today for a two-day official visit, as reported by The Thinakaran Newspaper.

During her visit, Sun Haiyan is scheduled to engage in discussions with high-ranking government officials, including President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

The discussions are anticipated to cover various bilateral matters of mutual interest between China and Sri Lanka.