Get ready to pay more for power again. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has taken the first steps toward another electricity tariff hike, and it could hit as early as July.
In a significant move, the Commission has officially requested fresh financial data from the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to assess whether the crucial Bulk Supply Transaction Bank Account (BSTBA) has dipped below Rs. 15 billion a critical threshold that could legally trigger a price hike.
PUCSL’s Director of Communications, Jayanath Herath, revealed that if the updated figures confirm the account has fallen short, a 10% increase in electricity tariffs is not just possible it’s practically on the table. However, he was quick to add that no final decision has been made yet and that this potential increase could either take place before or during the official revision set for July 1.
But the writing may already be on the wall. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in a recent television appearance, confirmed that a tariff revision is on the way this June. While he tried to downplay the impact by assuring that the new rates won’t climb as high as the record-breaking hike from December last year, many households are bracing for a mid-year financial jolt.
“Electricity tariffs were reduced by 20–30% in January,” the President said. “They will not be increased by the same amount in June.”
The CEB is expected to submit its official tariff proposal to the PUCSL by May 15, with the final verdict on your power bill set to be announced within two weeks of that date.
Whether this ends up being a moderate adjustment or a shocking surge, one thing is clear Sri Lanka’s energy crisis isn’t over, and your next power bill might just prove it.
