The Ceylon Electricity Board yesterday extended the duration of power cuts from the original two hours fifteen minutes to three hours 20 minutes until August 27
The Ceylon Electricity Board yesterday extended the duration of power cuts from the original two hours fifteen minutes to three hours 20 minutes until August 27, when the Norochcholai coal-fired power plant is expected to be restored.
"We are confident that the repair of the thermal power plant will be over by August 27 and we hope to save around 10% of the daily consumption of 32 million units (KWh) by the extended power cuts although there is still no assurance that we will be able to finish repairs by August 27," CEB Vice Chairman Anura Wijepala told The Island last night.
He said that the CEB would decide whether to totally stop the power cuts by that time or to substantially reduce them.
There had been acts of sabotage by the striking employees at various locations which included the damage caused to the 132 KV Badulla – Ampara power line around 5 pm on Tuesday.
The entire Ampara District had been without power as a result, the CEB Vice President said. The Kotmale – Anuradhapura power line had also been sabotaged, he said. However, the situation had been brought under control as there was an alternative line, he said.
The 33KW feeders in the Badulla, Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts had also been damaged but the problem had been sorted out in a matter of hours by the Engineers whom, he said were committed to ensuring an uninterrupted power supply.
He also said that the Board did not mind the strike action as trade unionism was one of workers’ fundamental rights but threatened to deal with the saboteurs under the Penal Code.
He also said that he heard that around 20 of the strikers who attempted to sabotage the infrastructure had been apprehended by the Police and that they would be punished.
Arrangements had been made to recruit retired CEB personnel to carry out the duties of the strikers and there would not be an additional cost as the striking employees would not be paid, the Vice Chairman said.
In fact, the CEB would be able to save some money as the temporary recruits and the retirees would not be paid as much as the regular workers, he said.
The CEB has requested all striking employees to return to work by tomorrow and noncompliance would warrant disciplinary action, he said. When asked whether they would be sacked unless they returned to work by August 27 like the July 1980 strikers, Wijepala answered in the negative. He said some other drastic action would be taken against them according to the law.
He said that there were many retired personnel who had joined the regional officers of the CEB and also some Final year engineering undergraduates who were assisting the CEB as universities were not functioning due to a teachers’ strike.
Meanwhile the power cut schedule from today will be Group A – 8 am to 11,20 am, Group B-11.20 am to 2.40 pm, Group C- 2.40 pm to 6 pm which will be applicable in Colombo city and 78 towns as well
(Island)