Using electricity efficiently:

'Today for Tomorrow helped save Rs 13,000 m'

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The sacrifice made by the entire country through Today for Tomorrow programme has helped save Rs 13,000 million for the country, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

The minister was addressing an awareness programme for executive engineers of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) at the CEB head office recently.

Arrangements are in place to purchase a capacity of 100 megawatts from February to May from the private sector.

But because of the Today for Tomorrow energy saving programme, there was no need to go ahead with this plan. It saved Rs.13,000 million, Minister Ranawaka explained.

All print and electronic media have informed the public how to use electricity in an efficient manner and the ways to use electronic equipment.

The public has paid more attention on these facts and they have a basic knowledge on how to use electronic and electric equipment, he added.

"Electricity consumers are willing to pay only a small amount of money for electricity. But they are not concerned about selecting power saving electrical equipment. They are not paying heed to energy efficiency either," the minister said.

"All sectors should be responsible in saving energy and make the public aware of following correct methods to save energy. Awareness programmes should be conducted at village and town level, and in all government and private institutions," the minister said.

He said with the development of the country, the demand for electricity had increased.

In the past Sri Lanka generated 100 percent electricity through hydro power.

"Now it has decreased to 14 percent. This is the reason for the increase of the price of electricity," he said.

The minister urged CEB employees to be committed to illuminate the entire country without power cuts as other countries.