Sri Lanka’s Electricity Users Association warns of a looming 20% hike in electricity bills, vowing protests and pledging resistance to what they call an “anti-people” restructuring plan.
The Electricity Users Association has sounded the alarm over a government proposal to increase electricity bills by 20 percent in the near future. Addressing a press conference, Association Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika strongly opposed the move, warning that ordinary consumers will bear the brunt of the restructuring policies now being advanced.
Dhammika recalled that the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) was first introduced by Minister Kanchana Wijesekera in 2023 and debated in Parliament in 2024. At that time, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the bill as “reactionary and anti-people,” promising reforms. However, Dhammika pointed out that the same controversial bill is now being pushed forward under the current administration.
He explained that the restructuring divides the CEB into four companies, each operating on profit-driven models rather than cost-based systems. As a result, consumers will face higher charges. He further criticized the bill for stripping the Public Utilities Commission of its regulatory powers, leaving electricity users without a mechanism to lodge complaints. Under this framework, electricity pricing would be dictated directly by the Finance Ministry, sidelining consumer protection.
Highlighting the growing frustration, Dhammika emphasized that proposals are now in place for a fresh 20 percent increase in bills. “We will not pay the increased electricity bills forced on us by this government,” he declared.
The Electricity Users Association also expressed solidarity with trade unions opposing the restructuring, stating that workers and consumers are united in resisting policies that prioritize profits over public welfare.
Dhammika announced that mass protests will be launched, beginning with a demonstration on the 10th at Marandagahamula.
