The country will experience the longest power cut in history if no sufficient stocks of coal are available by April 15, warns the Independent Engineers’ Association of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
President of the union Nihal Weeraratne told the media yesterday (28), “That is why we say that a dark July may come in 2023.”
Thirty-eight shiploads of 60,000 metric tons of coal each are required to fulfill the current electricity needs, whereas only four shiploads have been received so far, he said.
The Norochcholai power plant is presently receiving the coal it needs for power generation, he said.
“Twenty ships have already been ordered and four of them have arrived. There are 16 more to arrive. They should reach the island as soon as possible,” he added.
