Reduce Street lighting duration by 1 hour to Conserve Electricity during current dry weather

If the current weather condition prevails, electricity generation will face a great challenge. Plans had been prepared to supply electricity without any interruption if hydropower will not be available. But for that we have to spend a huge sum of money. That expenditure has to be paid from the government treasury not by the Ceylon Electricity Board. That means the cost has to be bear by general public. Therefore, I am requesting you to save electricity to face this critical situation. If we can save 50 MW at the moment, it is a great achievement for the country. Today, there are about one million street lamps in this country. If the lighting time can be reduced by an hour (half an hour in the evening and in the morning), it is a great relief for electricity generation at the current weather condition”. said minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, the minister of power and renewable energy. Minister made this request participating at a development committee meeting at the Kachcheri Kegalle.

Minister Siyambalapitiya further said,

“At this weather condition, the top priority is given to provide drinking water to the public. The second priority is the generation of electricity. If the existing water resources utilized exclusively for power generation, we can generate electricity up to 31st May with the existing weather condition. But since the priority has been given for drinking water and if this dry weather condition prevails, we have to stop hydro power generation by 21, 22 April” he said.