Sajith raises concerns Sri Lanka may face power cuts over diesel shortage

2026-03-17 - 09:06

Sri Lanka may face higher electricity costs and possible power cuts due to reduced generation and global diesel shortages, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa warned in Parliament today (March 17). Speaking in Parliament, Sajith Premadasa said that when power plants in the country fail to generate electricity as expected, Sri Lanka is forced to depend on diesel power plants. He explained that this increases costs for consumers and creates further challenges due to the ongoing global diesel shortage. In some cases, he warned, the country may even have to resort to power cuts. Premadasa also highlighted a recent decline in electricity generation at the Norochcholai power plant over the past four days. According to him, output dropped by 130 megawatts on March 13, 135 megawatts on March 14, 132 megawatts on March 15, and 148 megawatts on March 16, 2026. He noted that this shortfall must be covered by diesel-powered generation, which is becoming increasingly difficult under current global fuel constraints. He also pointed out that the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has indicated the possibility of power cuts in April, June, and July. Raising concerns about the situation, he questioned what plan the government has to manage what he described as an insecure and risky scenario. Responding to these concerns, Kumara Jayakody stated that Sri Lanka currently has fuel storage capacity sufficient for only 22 days. However, he said construction work has already begun to expand storage capacity to cover 45 days. The Minister further explained that existing fuel storage facilities have been fully stocked and that fuel supplies have already been secured up to August 2026. Addressing concerns about possible power cuts, Jayakody said that the government has so far managed to avoid any outages. “Due to our government’s management, we have been able to continue without even a minute or an hour of power cuts,” he said. “There is a cost to maintaining that stability, but that is the responsibility of a government.” He acknowledged, however, that power cuts could become necessary in the future. He added that the government is making every effort to provide relief to the public while ensuring industries and daily activities continue without disruption. Jayakody also stated that if the government had followed the opposition’s approach, power cuts could have been imposed earlier this month. He emphasized that current decisions are being made with a focus on protecting both the public and the country’s economic activity, while noting that it is difficult to plan such situations months in advance.