Rs. 01 Mn compensation for electrocution deaths due to defects in CEB system

The Minister of Power and Energy, Dullas Alahapperuma stated that discussions were held with the Sri Lanka Insurance Corp. Ltd to introduce an insurance scheme to cover the losses incurred on household appliances due to power outages.

The Minister disclosed the above at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Power held in Parliament, on 30th November 2020.

The Minister also instructed the respective officials to initiate a procedure to inform consumers a week ahead, when there is a power out due to maintenance.

It was decided at the Committee meeting to formalize the process of supplying street lights to the areas belonging to the Local Government Authorities and to establish a standard for the street lights supplied.

The CEB spends Rs. 2 billion a year on street lights and the Committee also focused on the need to install solar-powered street lights in areas where electric street lights cannot be installed.

The Committee drew attention to the large-scale property damage caused by lightning inactive areas and it was decided to find a solution in this regard in consultation with the Department of Disaster Management.

Attention was also drawn to the need of establishing a formal system and a process that would not inconvenience consumers in the installation of solar panels throughout the country.

State Minister of Solar Power, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development Duminda Dissanayake stated the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority will initiate a regulatory process for this purpose.

It was also disclosed that a sum of Rs. 100 million will be provided under the Indian Loan Scheme for the provision of solar power kits to state-owned enterprises, he said.

The aim is to gradually reduce a large amount of money spent on electricity bills by state institutions.

A program has also been proposed to earn an income by renting out the roofs of government institutions to install solar power kits.