CEB will not be privatized - Minister

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

All unions except the Lanka Viduli Sevaka Sangamaya fully back the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Amendment Bill, Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne told a media briefing in Colombo yesterday.

Minister Senevirathne alleged that the JVP backed Lanka Viduli Sevaka Sangamaya is the only trade union which did not come out with any proposal but only destructive criticism for their own political advantage. On the other hand the other unions had forwarded with number of proposals which had been taken into consideration in drafting the new Bill, he said.

"They are against anything progressive,"the Minister alleged. Their main argument against the Bill was that the Govt. aims to privatize the CEB and retrench its workforce through this Bill. The Minister dismissing both claims of the JVP said," There is not a single word on privatization of the CEB in the Bill."

The Minister however said that the CEB would further be strengthened since the Bill would create a supervisory body above the CEB. "The ordinary consumer could complain about the service they obtain from the CEB to this regulatory body which is the Public Utility Commission (PUC)."

The Minister explained that currently some applicants have to wait for several months to get the electricity connection. "Unfortunately such applicants have to complain only to the service provider itself- the CEB.

But with the new Bill coming into force the such complaints could be made to the PUC."

He said the PUC will have the power to intervene.

"According to the new Bill the licence issued to the CEB for generation, transmission and distribution will be reviewed in every 15 years."

The Minister said that this would force the CEB to comply with the regulatory framework.

The Minister pointed out that there will not by any laying off of employees since the CEB currently functioning with the cadre base of 1996.

He added that since 1996 the functions of the CEB had been multiplied by several folds with the addition of new power stations. The task of the CEB had been enhanced with liberation of the East and North.

He emphasized that there would not be any worker lay offs.

He also appealed to the consumer to use the electricity sparingly since the 85% of the electricity is currently being generated using oil. "Had not been the timely construction of the Kerawalapitiya Power plant there would be power cuts," the Minister said.

He said that further 300 MW would be added by the next year with the completion of the Norochcholai coal fired power plant. "With the completion of the upper Kotmale Hydro Power Project a further 150 MW will be added in 2011," the Minister added. CEB, Chairman was also present.