Petrifying power play

■ Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says charge sheet ready to oust PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake

■ PUCSL Chief says ready to take Minister head-on; eagerly waiting to face charge sheet

■ Insists legal action is better than political influence on independent Commissions

■ Minister says move has the backing of ruling-party MPs and Parliament has requisite provisions that will be put into effect soon

■ Claims PUCSL Chief takes arbitrary decisions disregarding other officials

■ Alleges Ratnayake should be solely blamed for power cuts

■ Minister says new cost-reflective tariff structure can be implemented subject to PUCSL approval

■ Assures CEB could provide uninterrupted power supply upon approval for new tariff structure PUCSL

■ Chief Ratnayake says sufficient water levels available to generate power with no cost till A/L exam is over

■ To inform Mahaweli Authority to release water to provide continuous power supply

■ Calls on President to appoint a Minister who understand subject, keen on resolving issues

■ Govt. targets below 90 units, 5 m low-electricity user category to earn over Rs. 100 b via new tariff hike

■ Claims Ministers assurance to provide uninterrupted electricity subject to PUCSL is misleading public A shocking and ugly power play is flaring up between key organs of the State over the request for temporary uninterrupted supply of electricity due to the on-going G.C.E. Advanced Level exams and the failure to comply as authorities fired charges against each other.

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said that a charge sheet has been drafted and legal action will be taken by the Government to oust the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman.

Holding a special media briefing held yesterday, the Minister claimed that PUCSL Chief Janaka Ratnayake has carried out all the activities and decisions based on his sole opinion, and not as the Commission.

“Janaka Ratnayake has been pushing the entire nation up against the wall. He is solely to be blamed for these power outages,” Minister Wijesekera charged.

He also noted that all the Parliamentary representatives of the ruling party have expressed their consensus to oust the PUCSL Chief Janaka Ratnayake.

Ratnayake, according to the Minister, misled the other PUCSL officials and engaged in actions without their consent, jeopardising the well-being of the entire country.

“The Parliament has the requisite provisions in place to deal with this. The necessary provisions for dealing with this will be put into effect soon,” he asserted.

Responding to claims made by Minister Wijesekera, who called for the removal of PUCSL Chief, Ratnayake emphasised that removing him from his position would not be an easy task, citing that such action calls for tedious procedures.

“If someone with a sound understanding of the country’s energy and power resources must be appointed as the Power and Energy Minister who would resolve the prevailing issues, he said, calling on the Government to remove Minister Wijesekera,” he told journalists yesterday.

He claimed that the Government has a responsibility to protect independent members of the Commission, insisting that one person cannot be allowed to push the people against the wall.

When asked about the proposed electricity tariff, Minister Wijesekera explained that if the PUCSL approves the new cost-reflective tariff structure, the Ceylon Electricity Board will be able to provide an uninterrupted power supply upon the approval date itself.

“The relevant letter by the Attorney General on recommendations has been sent to the PUCSL Chairman,” he added.

Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman Janaka Ratnayake reacting to Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that he is ready to accept a well- drafted charge sheet, insisting that legal actions are better than the political influence on independent commissions.

“I am eagerly waiting to face the charge sheet which is said to be sent by Minister Kanchana Wijesekera,” Ratnayake told journalists yesterday.

Separately responding to charges levelled by the Minister to oust him from PUCSL Chairman’s position, Ratnayake said it would not be easy as it requires a strong complaint and not petty stories.

“The Minister is trying to get PUCSL approval for the tariff hike granted by the Cabinet of Ministers by holding 331,000 students' right to have electricity as a shield.

“He is not exploring alternate methods to provide an uninterrupted power supply during the GCE Advanced Level examination but tries to fault the PUCSL. This is a great example of how political influence threatens the independent Commissions,” he stressed.

He claimed that the Minister’s effort is to dispute the officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board and PUCSL to get the tariff hike approved by pushing everyone against the wall.

“But I will not allow this to happen. It is good that the Minister is taking legal action so the law of the country will be enforced instead of the political influence and threats,” he added.

Ratnayake also said there are sufficient water levels at present and the Commission will officially request the Mahaweli Authority to release water adequate to generate 1.5 GWh.

“Currently there is access water compared to January 2022 to generate around 1,000 GWh. There is also underserved energy via demand management up to 1.3GWh and the average demand has also dropped by 2GWh.

“As notified by the Meteorology Department that rains with 150 mm are expected in the next couple of days, there is the capacity to generate uninterrupted electricity via hydropower for the next 19 days, till the Advanced Level examination is over,” he explained.

Pointing out that these facts are based on scientific methods to analyse demand and supply, he categorically said the Commission will not give approval for CEB as and when they submit requests.

Taking a dig at the Minister's assurance to provide an uninterrupted power supply subject to PUCSL approval for the cost-reflective tariff hike, Ratnayake claimed it was just another petty comment to mislead the public.

“If the Minister is so concerned about the wellbeing of the public, there is the option to generate electricity using hydropower and allow students to have uninterrupted power till 17 February without an additional cost. Instead, the Minister is keen on ousting me from the PUCSL showcasing the political interference, ruining the entire system,” he charged.

Ratnayake stressed that the Government has a responsibility to protect the rights of the countrymen, insisting that one person cannot be allowed to push the people against the wall.

“The Government is trying to earn over Rs. 100 billion from the low-user category which accounts to five million electricity users who take up below 90 units per month. It is beyond unethical to pressure the vulnerable communities amidst the unprecedented economic crisis they grapple with,” he pointed out.

He also made a fresh call on the President to appoint a new Minister with a sound understanding of the country’s energy and power resources who would resolve the prevailing issues.

“The so- called Minister is talking with rage and not based on facts. He doesn’t understand how to operate a business. He cannot even understand that if the tariff is increased then the demand for electricity will further drop, thereby bringing down the due revenue to the Government coffers,” he pointed out.

The PUCSL Chief said the Minister cannot fool the public of this country, threatening another era of waiting your turn at the fuel station. “The motorists of this country are not pumping naphtha and furnace oil to their vehicles. Thus, such claims are more of jokes than a threat,” he added.

As per Ratnayake there are 30,000 tons of naphtha, 35,000 tons of furnace oil, and water sufficient to generate 1,000 GWh of electricity.

When asked about the highly circulated letter sent by the Attorney General with recommendations on the proposed tariff hike via social media, Ratnayake said he has not received it formally to respond. “I think the Minister is more worried about the letter than myself,” he quipped.