Concerns have been raised over a proposed electricity tariff increase at a time when a large segment of the population is facing severe economic hardship following Cyclonic Storm Ditwah.
Former Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Rathnayake said the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has proposed an 11.5 percent electricity tariff increase for a three-month period, according to a submission made to the PUCSL.
Addressing the media, Rathnayake noted that nearly 35 percent of the country’s population is struggling to secure three meals a day in the aftermath of the cyclone, questioning the timing of the proposed revision.
He said estimates by various institutions placed the total economic damage caused by the cyclone between USD 5 billion and USD 6 billion, while losses incurred by the CEB alone were reported to be around Rs. 20 billion.
Rathnayake further said the tariff proposal justifies the increase based on GDP growth projections for 2026 forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He added that the CEB recorded a revenue of approximately Rs. 470 billion last year.
