Aug 16, Colombo: Power and Energy Minister of Sri Lanka Patali Champika Ranawaka says the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) would not impose any power cuts in Colombo and at nights due to the ongoing GCE Advanced level examination.

Ranawaka told ColomboPage that the decision not to impose power cuts at night was made to avoid causing any inconvenience to the students.

However, he said that power cuts had to be imposed since there was no other option given the decline in hydropower generation and breakdown at the Lakvijaya plant.

He explained that the addition of the second and third phases of the Norochcholai power plant would help address the power crisis to an extent.

According to Ranawaka, the CEB is also playing a greater role in the monitoring process of the construction of the other phases of the Norochcholai coal power plant.

Meanwhile, the Minister urged the striking CEB employees to settle their issues with the CEB management without allowing 'power terrorism' in the country.

The Minister said the strike launched by the trade unions of power sector is politically motivated and not reasonable. The strike at a time the power generation is hampered due to technical failures and drought is an act of sabotage, he added.

Speaking to national radio SLBC, Ranawaka also noted that a group of CEB employees have damaged power transmission systems in several areas, especially in Ampara and Matale creating severe problems in maintaining neonatal and intensive care units, surgical and other essential facilities and endangering people's lives.

The Minister has vehemently condemned the attempts by politically motivated saboteurs to keep the people in darkness. He asked the CEB employees to inform him on the threats posed by them and their disruptive activities.