No power cuts for the moment- CEB

COLOMBO: The Ceylon Electricity Board yesterday allayed fears of imminent power cuts.

“All thermal power plants are back in operation and with the current hydro storage, the CEB is well placed to meet the electricity demand,” the CEB said.

It said there would be no power cuts in the near future. “The present storage is at satisfactory levels. With the onset of inter-Monsoon rains and the South-West Monsoon from April to June, hydro catchments will receive adequate rains so that the hydro system storage will rise again,” a news release from the CEB said.

The total hydro storage at the beginning of the year was around 85 per cent of total capacity and with the prevailing dry spell the storage has reached to 50% of total capacity. The hydro storage depletes during the period January to April, as these months are generally dry.

The CEB explained that hydro storage is used to meet the irrigation water requirement in the Mahaweli area, drinking water requirement of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board in addition to meeting the electricity demand.

“If inter-Monsoon and the South-West Monsoon are delayed or the intensity is reduced then we will continue to generate maximum thermal power to provide supply to consumers.”

The Board requested consumers to conserve energy by switching off unwanted lights during this period. The CEB has previously said that the construction of the combined cycle multi fuel Kerawalapitiya Power Plant, which is now under way, would prevent an anticipated power crisis ion 2008-09.