Monday,13 May 2002  
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The power crisis

The power cuts will end on Wednesday, May 15, we have been promised. In fact, it is several weeks ahead of the deadline earlier given by the Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya.

The Minister should be congratulated for keeping his promise, a rare feat in modern day politics.

Cynics might argue, that the rain gods favoured the Minister. But, apart from the improved hydrel power situation, the Minister was able to get additional power from the private sector as well as repair the GT7 power plant with Italian assistance.

Getting out of the worst power crisis is a consolation. Yet we should not close our eyes to the possibility of a recurrence of the crisis in the days to come.

We must take this opportunity to look at the power situation from a long-term perspective.

With peace returning, there will be extra investments in the fields of industry, agriculture and services. They would require additional power. The current rate of increase in demand for power is about 10 percent. This is likely to increase with the economy turning round in the second half of this year. With a better macro-economic climate and a continued ceasefire, if not peace, the demand is likely to increase.

As Sri Lanka has yet to depend on hydrel power to a substantial extent, effects of adverse weather conditions too would increase the need for more power. Thus, a national priority is to draw up a plan and estimate the requirements for power. Then, we will have to look out for possibilities of utilizing all available sources of power, including thermal, solar, wind and wave power.

Prospects of developing coal power have to be examined, in spite of the unfortunate shelving of past projects. Environmental concerns have to be addressed to but the needs of the economy too should be considered so that a healthy balance could be struck between environmental impact and compelling economic needs.

The prospect of drawing in the private sector and community organizations in mini-power projects at local level too should be explored. A series of mini-power projects would take off the pressure on the national grid. It would also develop community initiatives.

During the past few weeks, a healthy debate on the power crisis was evidenced in the national press. It would be better, if the government draws up a policy paper on the development of power and solicit a public debate on it.

Announcing the ending of the power cuts Power and Energy Minister pledged there will be no more power cuts. If this pledge is to be honoured in earnest, a national policy on power needs to be worked out, discussed in public, and implemented at the earliest.

Crescat Development Ltd.

www.priu.gov.lk

www.helpheroes.lk


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