Colombo: half a million people without electricity due to high costs

Utilities have been suspended for non-payment of bills, yet another consequence of the economic crisis that has gripped Sri Lanka for three years. To cope with the situation, demand for solar panels has also increased, but the authorities have been forced to issue a warning to prevent fraud by unauthorised companies.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - More than half a million families in Sri Lanka have been forced into darkness after 505,949 consumers were suspended for non-payment of bills, reported by Sanjeeva Dhammika, secretary of the Electricity Consumers' Association (ECA).

Citing data from the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) during a press conference in the capital, Colombo,  the secretary emphasised the need for government measures to help consumers, who are struggling to cope with the high cost of living.

Apart from private households, power supplies were also disrupted in the first half of 2024 at 8,579 factories, 2,090 places of worship, 353 state properties and over 1.1 million other places.

By 2023, the CEB and the Lanka Electricity Company Limited (LECO) had suspended 965,566 and 98,834 supplies respectively, affecting more than 1.06 million out of seven million users.

Sri Lanka is trying to recover from the worst economic crisis since its independence, and many citizens, such as Kapurubanda Jayasekera, 72, Ranmenika Appuhamy, 68, and Hector Wijepala, 65, residents of Malabe, are in desperate situations.

‘We are forced to spend nights at relatives' houses because the electricity has been disconnected due to unpaid bills of between five thousand and ten thousand rupees (equivalent to EUR 16 and 32) accumulated over two or three months. We had to borrow at high rates to pay the bills. We are unable to buy essential food and medicine and may have to sell the few possessions we have, such as a table and chairs,' they told AsiaNews.

In Grandpass, a suburb of Colombo, Jeyalakshmi Selvarajah, 55, and Arul Gnanaprgasam, 53, find themselves in a similarly difficult situation: ‘It is completely unreasonable to charge three thousand rupees to restore the electricity supply, when it used to cost only 200 rupees. We are surviving on just two meals a day and have pawned jewellery and sold furniture to meet the expenses. How can we afford such high figures without a fixed income?’

Dhammika argues that consumers should benefit from a 58% share of the profits generated by the CEB. Meanwhile, rising electricity costs have stimulated interest in sustainable energy solutions, in particular the installation of solar panels on roofs. The programme has gained considerable popularity, especially as of 2022, due to its low maintenance costs.

However, the Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) was forced to issue a warning to property owners and institutions to check the legitimacy of service providers before installing solar panels. A warning issued in response to an increase in complaints of fraud by unlicensed companies.

According to the SLSEA, only suppliers registered with the body can carry out installations that comply with technical and regulatory standards. ‘Imports or installations outside of registered suppliers are not permitted.

Users can consult the official list on our website to ensure the regularity of installations,' SLSEA sources said. This list has been made available to help consumers make informed choices and ensure compliance with safety standards.