CEB To Charge For Street Lights
By Dinouk Colombage
Over 0.25 gigawatts of electrticity is spent on streetligts
The Ceylon Electricity Board is planning on imposing a fee on the public for the use of streetlights, according to the Minister of Power and Energy, Champika Ranawaka.
Ranawaka said that the Ministry was putting forth this plan as they had found that over 0.25 gigawatts of electricity is spent on the streetlights. “We have set a target of reducing energy consumption in the country by 1.5 gigawatts a day. The reduction in streetlights is one way we could ensure we meet this target”, he explained.
Ranawaka added that currently street lights were being operated free of charge, which means neither the public nor the local council employees are concerned with switching them off when not needed. “The only way we can make people conserve energy is by charging them. They will then become more cautious over energy consumption”, he said.
CEB Chairman, Dr. Wimaladharama Abeywickrama, said that they had made the request from all municipal councils to take steps to turn off 50% of all street lights. “While we have no authority in this area, we are requesting that the council takes these steps to ensure a conservation of energy”, he said.
Ranawaka said that along with the street lights being turned off, the ministry was also going to appoint energy auditors who would monitor the commercial sector and suggest ways in which energy consumption could be reduced. “Currently the 1,500 factories and the commercial districts in the country use nearly 40% of our total energy. We plan on reducing this by 10%”, he said.
The minister added that this initiative was already underway, with most bulk consumers working with the ministry to conserve energy. He added that they had been forced to take such steps due to the failing rain in the catchment areas. “If the North-Eastern rains do not arrive we will not be able to use hydro-energy beyond October”, he explained.
First put your house in order. Run the CEB more efficiently or all of you should get out. All that the Minister and the CEB can do is raise the rates to cover the losses of mis-management. What a farce and what a bunch of idiots!
As Cyrando correctly said “a bunch of Idiots” is in power to supply power the consequent would be a electric shock soon to the country and the people . If this minister does not know to solve the problem let him resign instead of worrying and paining the masses.
It is very annoying and ridicule the way CEB is moving towards to find solution for power serving as it is their duty to ensure uninterrupted power supply. If the present authorities are unable to do so, they have to leave this giving to the right people. If the govt. cannot find a proper solution for the electricity issue, they should not blame the rain and less water of catchment areas. ie. Bangladesh is full of rain,yet they do not depend on rain for electricity, people over there do not know of power failure. If they can find a proper system, why can’t we. I strongly believe that it is the corruption, wastage and irregularities in the running of the affairs are to blame for the constant power failure and power cuts.
your spot on mate. How long are these politicos going to fool the people??
The Ceylon Electricity Board is planning on imposing a fee on the public – This could be another world record by CEB – the first time in the world history charges be impose on Public for Street light. Minister Congratulations. Let the Public prosper by your thinking you are very intelligent. Its very easy to grab from the public than planing.
I should add another important point of increasing or expanding the day light robbery and the child rapers due to the favourable ground granted by the CEB, as this move definitely increase the crime rates,yet another wonder of Asia!
Holy cow ! why not tax the MPs and minsters and curb the perks of the officials?
The street lights are an essential service provided by the state. The state politicos and their henchmen eat in to the public money then keep taxing the people.
When can a true leader be born in this country?
The politicos and the officials at ministries have become a burden to the common man.
This country would ‘ve been a much better if no politicos and useless officials.
Mr.Ranawaka, why do you think people in this country pay taxes? Ooops, sorry, our tax money is eaten up fully buying 101 vehicles, too many security personals, and on and on… You just get rid of 10% of the expenses spent on you, I’m sure we can pay electricity bills of 1000 families.
Fixed the problem with CEB power generation, first minister and his idiotic advisers have to go home. It is funny to hear that minister doesn’t know as a stranded 12% of country’s power generation going for street lights. This is an internationally recognized stranded. CEB is owned by the government. It is their sole responsibility to supply power to light street lights. Like government building roads and other infrastructure projects. This should be a service by the CEB. If CEB don’t have money to do this they have to get their house in order very badly.
Finally, CEB is one of the most inefficient, unprofessional and corrupted institute in Sri Lanka.
Golden Brains! Wonder of Asia!
When the PUCSL worked out the tariff there was 2% included in costs for street lights. Previoulsy the Government reimbursed a samll portion of the cost .
How come the the Minister talks as like I dont Know? If there are more than the 2 % which are unauthorized cut them off. Why not replace street lights with more energy saving bulbs .What about the pilot project at Peliyagoda to reduce energy.
Why does not Leadrer investigate this .
You MOFOs, when are you going to learn the proper way. Haven’t these idots heard about sensors? World is moving in different dimension and these maniacs have become bunch of economic hit-men.
If you can obtain credit to buy MI-17 for sshitty purposes, why can’t you brain-in-a55 authorities get basic things done for the sake of public livelihood?
why are we paying taxes to the government ? repairing roads, having street lights for the public is a service that we expect from the state. i do not know where this country is heading…God save sri lanka.
“If the North-Eastern rains do not arrive we will not be able to use hydro-energy beyond October”, he explained.
So you still depend on Nort-East monsoon?
When the North-Eastern citizens were among the top planners in CEB, this problem was not experinced.
Jokes… instead looking for improvements, stupid guy is thinking of cutting/reducing power. Plus taxing/charging the public for street lamps. Funny…
Then why should we have a ministry and a minister for this unit, if this guy to curtail the supply instead looking for increasing the supply.
Then why you boast giving power supplies to various villages….! We wonder whats…going on.
If every minister thinks this way… Agriculture, Health, Education, Transport, Religion all will go down… easy to do.