CEB Archives

October 31, 2023

Ceylon Energy a strategic alliance of St Theresa Industries, in collaboration with Qingdao Huijintong Power Equipment Co., Ltd (HJT) – China, has initiated the tower stringing phase of the “Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project” (SESRIP – P4).

This project marks a significant milestone, furthering Ceylon Energy’s commitment to delivering stable electricity to more than 400,000 consumers while enhancing loss reduction benefits and expanding solar and wind energy collection points across Sri Lanka.

Funded by the Asian Development Bank, this project aims to satisfy the improvement efforts of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), covering tower lines totaling a length of 300-kilometers, with 1,238 total towers.

Commenting on this momentous occasion, Ceylon Energy Founder and CEO Madushanka Fernando said: “With the commencement of the SESRIP-P4 project’s tower stringing phase, we are taking a significant step towards realizing our commitment to providing reliable electricity to the people of Sri Lanka. We believe that sustainable and innovative solutions will shape the future of the energy sector. This project is a testament to our dedication to quality, sustainability, and a brighter, more electrified tomorrow.”

This phase, which began on October 20, 2023, signifies a crucial step toward achieving the project’s goals of ensuring a reliable electricity supply for a large number of consumers, reducing energy losses, and establishing sustainable energy collection points.

Looking ahead, Ceylon Energy is committed to completing the SESRIP-P4 project by the end of March 2024. This achievement will not only provide a stable electricity supply to a substantial number of consumers but also expand the network of solar and wind energy collection points, contributing to a more sustainable and reliable energy future.

In addition to its core expertise in power transmission projects, Ceylon Energy operates in multiple industries, including technology and construction services. The company is dedicated to making the world a better place by providing innovative and sustainable solutions.

June 23, 2023

JAAF confounded by the CEB and PUCSL for constantly overlooking industry submissions and cautions on electricity tariff hikes
CEB fails to extend industrial electricity tariff reductions to Sri Lanka’s largest forex earner

23^rd June 23: Electricity tariff revisions proposed by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for the period July to December 2023 indicate there is room for a reduction in the tariff and that these reductions would be for “entities of economically important businesses”. However, to the dismay of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), CEB has failed to extend these industrial tariff reductions to the apparel industry – the country’s largest foreign exchange earner and a significant contributor to Sri Lanka’s debt-ridden economy.

The electricity tariff hikes that came into effect at end 2022 and the beginning of this year have completely disregarded the integral role played in the country’s economy by the apparel industry. Despite continuous warnings and cautions from JAAF, the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) granted approval to a 66% electricity tariff hike earlier this year based on an overestimation of electricity demand. This was done having well realised that the industry was faced with a15-20% drop in orders which signalled a reduction in demand due to the ongoing global recession. The result is an exponential increase in costs to business operations, threatening the sustenance and operation of a USD 5 billion industry that braces the country’s economy. As a result, due to this reduction in exports, the sector has become less competitive. Charted below is the fall in apparel exports in the first four months of 2023, highlighting a 17% decrease over the quarter.

It is vital that Sri Lanka apparel maintains its competitiveness in the global manufacturing sector. Earlier this year, amidst the 66% electricity tariff hike, JAAF highlighted that in terms of electricity rates, Sri Lanka’s electricity tariff in US dollars stood at the top end of the scale when compared to regional giants like India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand which offered USD 9-10 cents per kWh. It is important to note that with the strengthening of the Sri Lankan Rupee, Sri Lanka’s energy costs in US dollars are now significantly higher than our competitors. When fixed and maximum demand charges are included, Sri Lanka’s energy costs are notched at over USD16 cents per kWh, while our biggest competitor Bangladesh is under USD 10 cents. Vietnam and Indonesia offer rates under USD 8 cents. It is also alarming to note that the government hopes to export surplus power to India in this context, as our industrial electricity tariff rates are now 21% higher than that of India.

Earlier this year, JAAF highlighted that the proposed electricity tariff hikes were based on increased electricity demand, pointing to a clear overestimation of electricity demand by the CEB. JAAF’s statement is now confirmed as accurate by CEB’s own documentation with the actual consumption being recorded as 10% less than what was actually forecasted by the CEB early this year.

As the Sri Lankan economy continues to contract, it is logical that demand will continue to fall. This in turn reduces the reliance on more costly fuel sources driving overall costs higher. It is also worth noting that coal prices have also reduced leading to a reduction in the price of energy to the industrial sector. Coal prices are expected to remain at approximately USD104 per MT this year.

The depreciation of the US dollar has also resulted in a reduction of import costs to the CEB. Therefore the electricity distributor can no longer pass on the costs of the rupee depreciation to the apparel industry via exponential industry electricity tariff rates.

In light of this, JAAF urges the PUCSL to recognize the sizable contribution the apparel industry makes to the Sri Lankan economy and extend industrial tariff reductions to the industry, allowing the industry to compete on a level playing field in an intensely competitive global market.

January 31, 2022

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the electricity sector regulator, stated that the demand for electricity can be managed during the month of February starting tomorrow. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for a power interruption will not be allowed until the 4^th of February 2022. The CEB had proposed that there is a need for power interruption from 25^th of January to 4^th of February.

Commenting on the above Mr Janaka Ratnayake, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said,

“We reviewed the power plants and the fuel stocks that are required for them, on a daily basis. Based on the results of those reviews we decide that there is no necessity of power interruption. It is estimated around 31 billion rupees of loss may have occurred in the entire economy if the proposed power interruption was approved. We were able to save 31 billion rupees by preventing a power interruption. It has been confirmed that a continuous supply of electricity can be provided without any power interruption even at the beginning of February. Especially the A/L examinations are scheduled to take place in the next month. Uninterrupted power supply should be provided in order to have the examination successfully. Unit 3 of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, which was undergoing renovations, has commenced generation of power supply. Also, the 130 MW power plant at Sojitz, which was recently disconnected from the national grid for maintenance purposes, will resume generation from 02^nd of February. As a result, it has been confirmed that the power supply can be maintained uninterrupted.”

Mr Ratnayake also stated that the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery has received crude oil and has already started the process of refining the fuel required for the power plants in the future.

“The refinery produces fossil fuels and naphtha as by-products. Power plants such as Sapugaskanda, Colombo Badge, West Coast and Uthuru Janani which has the generation capacity of 495 MW require fossil fuel. 495 mega watts of capacity can be generated for 13 days from the fossil fuel that generated through the refinery process. Also 150 MW power plant can be operated for five days from the Naphtha produced by the crude oil,”

PUCSL also points out that it is essential to get the support of the electricity consumers to manage the supply of electricity in such a challenging situation.

Clarifying it further Mr. Ratnayake, said,

“We have proposed a number of electricity conservation measures that can be implemented with the assistance of consumers, such as limiting lighting, saving the use of air conditioners, and limiting the lighting time of street lamps. We estimate that these measures alone will save us 3.7 gigawatt hours per day. If so, a 150 MW power plant can be shut down for 24 hours. It is a responsibility of the electricity consumer to support the country by conservation of electricity in a situation like this. We urge all electricity consumers to support in the conservation of electricity to the best of their ability. If electricity is used inefficiently in a situation like this, it will lead to a power cut,”

The PUCSL has also taken steps to get the support of private and state organizations to generate about 300 MW of capacity through efficient use of power generators owned by them.

The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said,

“One of the ways to get electricity instantly for us is the efficient use of the generators owned by various companies. We have already had a discussion on the same with the owners of 100 MW so far. It is scheduled to discuss with another group on the same matter this week. We hope to reach a final decision on the availability of about 300 megawatts of capacity from state and private generators before the end of next month.

Janaka Ratnayake

Chairman

Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka

January 25, 2022

Sri Lanka is currently facing an acute energy crisis, primarily due to the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuel. The solution to this is for the country to move on to more renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, bio-gas, biomass and hydro power. Renewable energy also presents a host of other benefits both socially and economically as well.

In the backdrop of dwindling foreign currency reserves and capacity shortages, the only logical solution for Sri Lanka to take is to adopt renewable energy as the primary source of energy production. Renewable energy can be generated using Sri Lanka’s ample natural resources. This would also offer some relief to Sri Lanka’s diminishing foreign reserves as renewable energy does not need to rely on fuel imports.

With the price of Oil, Coal and Gas increasing globally, it is not sustainable for countries such as Sri Lanka which has to import fossil fuels to have larger exposure to non-renewable sources of energy. It is best to make the switch to renewable forms of energy sooner rather than later, so that the country’s economy is not harmed.

Speaking at a press conference held recently, Riyaz Sangani, Past President of Hydro Power Developers Association stated, “Our goal as the renewable energy sector is to help the government and the people overcome the current energy crisis in the country. We believe that the key to this is to increase co-operation between the government and the private sector. Only then will we be able to successfully overcome all obstacles and make the switch to renewable energy.”

There are currently a total of 294 private sector renewable energy developer projects which have been commissioned. These projects have combined capacity of 718.334 megawatts (MW). The total number of projects needs to increase drastically, for the country to truly reap the full benefits of renewable energy.

One of the main issues which the renewable energy sector faces is the government approval process which can take years to complete. This process needs to be streamlined and implemented in an efficient manner as possible. Renewable energy developers also run into a myriad of challenges from the CEB that has delayed approval and grid connections, sometimes attributed to incorrect technical analysis. Bringing correct knowledge and international best practices to the CEB will smoothen these issues.

Another issue that has hampered the success of the renewable energy sector is the importation restrictions imposed on the sector, which has made it difficult to obtain the machinery necessary.

In addition to the immediate benefits which the country will receive, renewable energy sources also pose less of a risk to the climate and environment. This will help protect the environment and ensure that the country’s development will not be hindered by any environmental issues in the future.

There have been many local and foreign investors who have shown interest in investing in renewable energy for Sri Lanka. These investors need to be shown that it is a worthwhile investment and that hindrances will be minimal. Only then can Sri Lanka overcome its socio-economic woes and continue with development.

January 12, 2021

As a pioneering Government agency that have taken many positive steps towards digitalization, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) embarked on using Digital Signature facility on pilot basis for a one of their Divisions to improve efficiency and productivity.

Distribution operation of CEB comes under 4 Distribution Divisions. CEB partnered with LankaSign Certificate Authority (CA) to introduce Digital Signature facility to Distribution Division 4 for the pilot stage, which consists of Southern Province I and II; and Western Province – South I. Within Division 4 there are over 60 Distribution Branches, Distribution Provincial Offices, Area Offices and Consumer Service Centers. Prior to introducing digital signatures, document signing was done manually, which needed documents to be either faxed and hand delivered. With the introduction of LankaSign digital signatures, all approvals within Distribution Division 4 can now be done via email much conveniently, efficiently and most importantly, securely.

In the next phase, CEB would be expanding the same facility to their other staff members and Divisions to ensure that they provide an even better service to the nation.

With the prolonged pandemic situation, organizations across the world have been left with little choice but to operate remotely. Among the many challenges faced by the organizations in the current pandemic-affected environment is the difficulty in getting physical documents signed by signatories and deliver them to the intended receiver. Although some organizations have opted to use email as a confirmation of approvals or common image-based solutions in the market, there is a downside to them as the electronic documents and the signature images can be easily manipulated without the sender or the receiver’s knowledge. With the rise in the number of security incidents reported and complexity of security breaches, ensuring authenticity has become a prime concern. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the originator authentication is assured, and the organization’s interests are safe guarded.

The CEB approached LankaSign CA to obtain Digital Certificates for the above purpose and has worked with the CA team to ensure a flawless implementation of the pilot project. LankaSign, operated by LankaClear – the operator of LankaPay national payment network, functions under the supervision of Central Bank of Sri Lanka, is the only Certification Service Provider (CSP) currently operating in Sri Lanka authorized by the National Certification Authority (NCA). The electronic transactions act no. 19 of 2006 (ETA) grants authority for a nationally recognized body to perform the function of the NCA. The NCA is the overall governance and the standard setting entity required for the smooth and effective functioning of CSPs in Sri Lanka. The issue of digital certificates is to be performed by authorized third-party CSPs, as per the provisions of the ETA and the subsequent amendments made via the Act No. 25 of 2017.

LankaSign CA caters to the critical need of originator authentication and has three key features, namely authentication – authenticates the source of messages since the ownership of a digital certificate is bound to a specific user; integrity – indicates if the document has been modified after being digitally signed and in addition the document can also be locked so that no modification is permitted after signing.; and non-repudiation – a sender cannot deny the fact that he/she sent the message, which has his/her digital signature. Under the LankaSign offering, several types of Digital Certificates are issued including Email/Document Signing Certificates, SSL Server Certificates, Application Certificates and Mobile Certificates (via JustPay SDK). CEB has opted to move forward with email and document signing certificates at the initial phase.

Speaking regards to this groundbreaking initiative Mr. Rohan Seneviratne, Additional General Manager -Distribution Division IV said “CEB takes great pride in taking this giant leap towards digitalization and to have been one of the first few government agencies to implement Digital Signatures. At the pilot stage, digital signing has been introduced in relation to the distribution operation of Division IV of CEB. With over 60 sub offices scattered across three provinces, we found manual handling of documents to be a cumbersome affair leading to delays and unnecessary administrative expenses. With this manual practice, we found it extremely challenging to continue our operations during the pandemic situation with most staff having to work remotely. We believe with the implementation of LankaSign digital signatures, we will achieve greater efficiency levels with enhanced information security and tangible cost savings for the organization.”

A LankaSign Digital Certificate is a secure electronic file that certifies the identity of an individual seeking originate digital information via a digital communication channel. It consists of a public key and some personal details of the owner (name, email address or other information related to the owner) and is signed with the private key of the certificate holder. Launched under the guidance of the Central Bank in 2009, LankaSign is ISO 27001:2013 certified and equipped with all international requirements of a commercial CSP including military grade security appliances, State-of-the-art 24x7x365 monitored Data Centers and Disaster Recovery Site. Furthermore, LankaClear backend where the LankaSign operation is housed has received the world-renowned PCI-DSS 3.2 certification, which is a stringent process adopted to comply with the highest international security standards. Already several other government and private organizations are using LankaSign digital certificates including all banks and financial institutions, Sri Lanka Customs, Colombo Stock Exchange to name a few.

August 13, 2020

SIEMENS – DIMO consortium recently signed agreement with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to embark on the Medium Voltage distribution sub project package 05 of the “National Transmission and Distribution Network Development and Eﬃciency Improvement Project” aimed at enhancing national power supply. The package 04 of the above project was also awarded to the SIEMENS-DIMO consortium during the 1^st quarter of 2020.

The demand for electricity in Sri Lanka is growing at a rate of about 5-6% per annum. Therefore, the generating sources as well as the transmission and distribution facilities have to be developed and strengthened in order to meet this growth in demand. Medium Voltage Distribution System is the backbone of the power distribution network and is the interface between the Transmission network and the LV Distribution network which provide supply to the consumers. It is therefore essential to reinforce and develop a healthy Distribution System which has the capability of catering to the growing electricity demand of the country while maintaining an acceptable reliability and quality above the set operational standards and norms.

Director of DIMO Wijith Pushpawela stated, “DIMO is pleased to facilitate the National Transmission and Distribution Network Development and Efficiency Improvement Project with the package 04 and 05. This is an important project in the nation‘s infrastructure development agenda as it will immensely contribute towards a more efficient and reliable power supply within Sri Lanka.”

The scope of package 05 focuses on augmentation of the Ethulkotte Primary Substation with the aim of increasing capacity to cater the increase in electricity demand, provisioning of highly-reliable power supply with a high degree of operational flexibility in Battaramulla, Welikada and Kalubowila areas and to automate the distribution network. Construction of the New Primary Substation at Rattanapitiya with the aim of accommodating the anticipated load growth including town development requirements of Nugegoda, Boralesgamuwa and Maharagama areas which is fed by LECO and the requirements of the proposed educational area of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura are also included in this project. Augmentation of Beligaha Primary Substation with the aim of increasing supply demand in Galle, Dadalla and Karapitiya areas and to provide high degree of reliability and operational flexibility of the MV network in the Southern Province is another objective of this project.

The agreement was signed between CEB and SIEMENS-DIMO consortium at the CEB Head Oﬃce premises with the participation of Vijitha Herath – Chairman of CEB, Y.G.I. Saman Kumara – Vice Chairman of CEB, Eng. Rohan Seneviratne – Additional General Manager of Distribution Division 4 of CEB, Sarath Algama – Director of DIMO, Wijith Pushpawela – Director of DIMO and Prasad Palsokar – SIEMENS Country Manager for Sri Lanka. Ms. N.U. Perera – Deputy General Manager (Planning & Development) Distribution Division 4, P.P.B. Samarasekara – Project Manager (GPDEEIIP-Tr2- Package 05) of CEB and Dasun Arandarage – Head of Power Engineering Projects of DIMO were also present at this occasion.

DIMO and SIEMENS have been partners for over seven decades adding value to Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Projects in the country with the latest technologies and the best solutions. The recent developments in the company’s product portfolio such as renewable energy, micro grid & smart grid solutions, will pave the way towards a sustainable energy mix which in return will be beneﬁcial for the Government to achieve its objectives towards green energy.

March 18, 2020

DIMO together with SIEMENS, a global technological and electrical solutions provider, recently signed a contract with Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to embark the package 04 Lot A phase of the “National Transmission and Distribution Network Development and Efficiency Improvement Project” for enhancing national power supply. The package 04 Lot A phase of this project was awarded to SIEMENS – DIMO Consortium which has been pioneering in the power generation, transmission and distribution business.

The agreement was signed between CEB and SIEMENS – DIMO consortium at the CEB head office premises with the participation of Mr. Vijitha Herath, Chairman of CEB, Mr. Y.G.I Saman Kumara, Vice Chairman, Ms. S.H Diddeniya, Project Director of CEB , Ms. Wickramasinghe, Project Manager for CEB, Mr. Nikhilesh Amonkar, Head of SIEMENS Distribution Systems Business, Mr. Mitul Jhaveri, Manager Finance, SIEMENS Ltd,Mr. Prasad Palsokar, SIEMENS Country Manager for Sri Lanka, Mr. Prakash Kumar Chandrakar, Country BU Head for SIEMENS, Mr. Venkatesh Sarathy,Country BU Finance Head from SIEMENS, Mr. Sarath Algama, Executive Director of DIMO , Mr. Wijith Pushpawela, Executive Director of DIMO and Mr. Janaka Rodrigo, General Manager of DIMO were also present at this occasion.

The National Transmission and Distribution Network Development and Efficiency Improvement Project is a government project funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency with the objective of enhancing the capacity of national transmission and distribution network located in Greater Colombo and its surrounding area. This will also minimize transmission losses by constructing and upgrading transmission lines, sub-stations and distribution lines, thereby contributing to improvement of energy reliability and energy efficiency in the country.

‘’Power sector plays a pivotal role in any economy and developing efficient and reliable power supply is core in enhancing the development in any country. As a major player in developing infrastructure in the nation, DIMO is proud to embark on this project with SIEMENS while keeping with our purpose of fuelling dreams and aspirations of the people’’, said Chairman & Managing Director of DIMO, Ranjith Pandithage.

Executive Director of DIMO Wijith Pushpawela said ‘’DIMO’s expertise in the power engineering sector and long lasting relationship with its partner SIEMENS have paved the way for securing this opportunity. With CIDA accreditation as an Electro Mechanical (EM1) contractor for high, medium and low tension electrical installations and ISO certifications in power engineering sector, further re-confirmed wining this bid.’’

The package 04 Lot A of the project is aimed at enhancing the capacity of national transmission and distribution network located in Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia and Battaramulla area of which the scope includes construction of Primary Substations, Distribution Substations and laying of underground Cables. Dehiwala and Mount Lavinia belong to Western Province South I (WPS I) of Distribution Division 4 and Battaramulla belongs to Western Province South II (WPS II) of Distribution Division 3. WPS I have nearly 261,427 of Retail Consumers and 601 of Bulk Consumers.

The existing network in the project area of Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia is fed via three 33/11 kV Primary Substations (PSS) and will be extended by two additional PSS and an extension to an existing PSS. WPS II has nearly 391,571 number of Retail Consumers and 1,010 number of Bulk Consumers. The existing network in the project area of Battaramulla is a 132/33 kV substation and feeds via 33 kV in the distribution network of this area and it is planned to feed the area via three 33/11 kV Primary Substations (PSS) upon the completion of this project in 2022.

DIMO and SIEMENS are partners for over seven decades continuously adding value to Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Projects in the country with the latest technologies and the best solutions. The recent developments in company’s product portfolio such as renewable energy, micro grid & smart grid solutions, will pave the way to a sustainable energy mix which in return will be beneficial for government to achieve its objectives towards green energy.

Chunakam grid substation, Habarana grid substation and Naula grid substation projects are some of the major projects completed by DIMO – SIEMENS collaboration, redefining the local power sector. Habarana- Veyangoda grid substation, Variable Shunt Reactor Projects in Anuradhapura and Mannar are some of the ongoing projects by DIMO and SIEMENS.

Ceylon Energy embarks on tower stringing journey for ADB-funded CEB SESRIP-P4

JAAF dismayed by zero revisions made to industrial electricity tariff rates

PUCSLS’ Decision on power interruption

Renewable Energy, The Only Solution to Sri Lanka’s Energy Crisis

CEB takes a bold step in adopting Digital Signatures

SIEMENS – DIMO Consortium continues to enhance National Power Supply with CEB

SIEMENS – DIMO Consortium to Enhance National Power Supply with CEB