Power cuts : Exporters’ Chamber suggests solutions for storage facilities | Sunday Observer

Power cuts : Exporters’ Chamber suggests solutions for storage facilities

31 March, 2019

The National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) has expressed grave concern regarding the adverse effects of power cuts on the export sector.

The Chamber said in a statement “the unscheduled power cuts have affected and disrupted vital production activities, especially export oriented enterprises and industries in general.”

“In this respect it has already been pointed out through the media, and by pronouncements by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), that power disruptions effected by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) without intimation and approval of the PUCSL is illegal,” the statement said.

Following this revelation it appears that power disruption will henceforth be effected according to a schedule. In terms of the proposed schedule it is stated that power cuts will be effected for a three-hour duration during the day (in one of three time slots), and for a duration of one hour in the night (in one of four time slots).

A two-and-a-quarter hour power disruption during the day in one of three time slots, and a one hour disruption in the night in one of three time slots, will be effected on Saturdays, while no power disruptions will occur on Sundays.

The Chamber trusts that disruptions will be effected in the specific Local Authority or Administrative area, in an orderly manner, at the same specific time slots each day, to enable enterprises to plan their production activities and reduce adverse effects to the best possible extent.

The Chamber also laments the fact that the current crisis has arisen due to the abject failure of the policy makers and responsible State institutions in the Power and Energy Sector to implement the projects for alternative power generation, over and above the capacity for hydro-power generation, to meet the projected demand in terms of the Master Power Sector Plan, in respect of expanded production activities, and domestic consumer demand.

Media reports said that this state of affairs has been due to delays arising out of alleged irregularities and vested interests of various parties.

According to media reports, the Ministry of Power and Energy has requested large companies to use their own generators to meet power requirements, to relieve the load on the national grid.

However, some member companies of the Chamber with relatively large production bases have pointed out that this is not a practical solution because many large enterprises depend on suppliers who are most often small entities that do not possess the capital nor the ability to undertake their own power generation.

The technology used in the country does not enable storage of electricity generated through solar power even by private parties, since the generated electricity has to be fed to the national grid in normal circumstances, while this is not possible during the periods of power cuts, according to a NCE council member who is conversant with the technicalities.

In the circumstances, the Chamber suggests that action should be taken at least now to acquire the technology for storage of electricity, generated through the installation of solar panels in batteries. The Chamber states that private sector entities should be assisted by the state, in the capacity of partners and part-owners of the equipment needed to use the technology for storage of the electricity generated.

It adds that had this been done earlier, storage and use of electricity generated through solar power panels, could have saved valuable water resources, for additional hydropower generation during the drought.

Future power generation

The Chamber strongly feels the Government should pay special attention to the implementation of the planned power generation projects, under the Power and Energy.

The Chamber proposes that a committee comprising knowledgeable and competent representatives of the relevant stakeholders should be placed in charge to oversee implementation of the power projects. 

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