Nearly 300,000 unauthorized street lamps - Ranawaka

There are nearly 300,000 unauthorized street lamps-throughout the country, said Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.

He was speaking at a ceremony held at the Kurunegala district Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) office on Friday.

The minister said that electricity wastage in the industrial and commercial sector ammounted to Rs 30 million and domestic wastage was Rs 20 million per day. He said 80 percent of the economic growth targeted by the Mahinda Chinthana would depend on the energy sector.

“We should understand that economic growth cannot be achieved without developing the power and energy sector,” he said.

“Nearly 65 percent of the power supply is generated through power stations which are run by fuel. The CEB has to spend Rs 14 to produce one electricity unit. However the CEB gives one electricity unit to the customer for Rs 10.80,” Ranawaka said.

“As a result, the CEB faces a Rs 50 million loss per day. In addition, nearly 20 percent of power generation is wasted in Sri Lanka,” the minister said. He said a programme has been implemented to educate 3.4 million electricity customers regarding this.