Electricity consumers to foot the bill for street lights?

A new electricity policy in Sri Lanka may require residents to pay for street lighting through their electricity bills, according to the Electricity Consumers’ Association. The union's Secretary, Sanjeewa Dhammika, explained that the plan sets a limit on this charge at 2.2 percent of each consumer's electricity bill. “They intend to calculate how much energy the street lights use in a specific area and divide that cost among local residents by adding it to their bills. The extra charge cannot exceed 2.2% of the total electricity bill,” Dhammika stated. He also mentioned that the proposal aims to take away the responsibility of managing street lights from local government bodies and give it to a different organization. “Currently, Pradeshiya Sabhas, Urban Councils, and Municipal Councils take care of public lighting. However, this proposal wants to shift that power to a separate institution,” Dhammika added.