LNP – Final tariff system recommended by PUCSL rejected by three commission members: Chairman
The final tariff system recommended by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) was approved today by the PUCSL chairman, but it was not approved by the other three members of the commission, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayake said.
He said the proposal was submitted for the approval of the commission members this morning.
The final tariff system has been extensively studied and recommended by the Electricity Tariff Division of the Commission, he said.
However, the commission’s other three members, Attorney-at-Law Chathurika Wijesinghe (Secretary), Douglas N. Nanayakkara, and S. G. Senarathne, objected to the legal tariff proposal and instead approved the CEB’s high tariff system.
Although the CEB’s tariff proposal proposed to collect an additional Rs. 288 billion annually from the electricity consumer, the proposal prepared for approval by the Commission limited the tariff increase to 36% and reduced the additional income of the CEB to a reasonable level of Rs. 142 billion.
According to the proposal submitted by the CEB, groups consuming less than 90 units in the domestic sector will face a 250% tariff increase.
The toll system approved by the members to be implemented tomorrow is illegal, and the implementation of the toll system will put the public under severe pressure and have a severe impact on the entire economy.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka is bound by law to protect the rights of electricity consumers in this country.
As the Chairman of the Commission, I express my objection against the Commission’s three members approving the electricity tariff increase proposal prepared by the CEB based on unverifiable numerical data.
Rejecting proposals without any consideration or ideas presented by all parties, including the electricity tariff revision, the reasonability of costs, the actual electricity demand, and the power consumers.
The members of the Commission who approved the high electricity tariff proposal presented by the CEB have violated the provisions of the PUCSL Act and the Sri Lanka Electricity Act.