CEB a profit making venture from next year

Suraj A Bandara

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) expenditure will be reduced by Rs 15 billion next year. It will be transformed into a profit making institution after streamlining the strength of the workforce through the Manawa Jawaya program, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

He was addressing industrialists about the electricity sector policy changes in the future at the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka yesterday.

The Minister said that the CEB workforce will be promoted according to their skills rather than seniority. A scheme called balanced scorecard targeting a non-corrupt workforce will be implemented from January leaving employees to earn more by working hard, Ranawaka said.

He said the Triple E concept would mainly explore the potential in the fields of energy, economy and environment.

The concept's main objective is to provide energy at an affordable price and provide quality and uninterrupted power to the consumers, the Minister said. Explaining the short-term action plan, the Minister said electrification of all parts of the country by 2012 is the Government's main target.

Prepaid metres and net metering will be implemented next year under the smart metre scheme. This will be a good opportunity for consumers to audit light bills themselves and conserve power by reducing consumption, the Minister said.