Oct 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka' s power authority, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) announced yesterday that the hydropower generation capacity has increased up to 530 gigawatts hours.

With heavy rains lashing various parts of the country including the catchment areas, the hydropower reservoirs are filling and the hydropower generation capacity has increased up to 43% from 23% earlier, the CEB said.

The country was experiencing a severe power crisis in the last few months as the hydropower generation dropped less than 15% due to drought and the country had to rely on more expensive thermal power.

The CEB incurred heavy losses when the country's only coal power plant at Norochcholai also broke down during the height of the power crisis and the CEB was forced to impose power cuts and use over 88% thermal power.

The contribution from thermal power was down to 57% yesterday.

The hydropower catchment areas are experiencing heavy rains and the highest rainfall, 82 mm, was reported from Castlereagh.