By The Pulseline News Desk
Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka has questioned the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) decision to proceed with a public hearing on electricity tariffs, despite the National System Operator (NSO) confirming that it would not seek a tariff revision for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Addressing Parliament, the Minister has said available data and forecasts had indicated that there was no requirement for another electricity tariff increase this year, describing the proposed public hearing as an unnecessary expenditure of public funds.
He has suggested that the hearing would merely provide a platform for opposition politicians, defeated political figures and certain YouTubers to express their views. “We wonder whether the decision to hold public consultations was taken by the members of the Commission or its officials. People with vested interests may express various opinions. However, the Government and institutions in the electricity sector work for the benefit of the people. Based on available data and forecasts, we see no need for another electricity tariff increase this year,” he has said.
Explaining the tariff-setting process, Karunathilaka has said the NSO submits projected electricity generation costs to the PUCSL every quarter.
He has said the NSO had informed the regulator, in a letter dated October 6, that projected generation costs had declined from Rs.129 billion to Rs.125 billion following its routine submission, eliminating the need for a tariff revision.
While acknowledging that the PUCSL Act provides for public hearings in the public interest, the Minister has questioned the rationale for proceeding with one when the NSO had already indicated that no increase was necessary.
Meanwhile, at a stakeholder consultation held on the proposed fourth-quarter tariff revision, the NSO had reiterated that it would not seek an increase for the October–December period.
The NSO has attributed its position to favourable reservoir storage levels and forecasts of above-normal rainfall under prevailing El Niño conditions, which are expected to support hydropower generation.
The decision means electricity consumers are not expected to face another tariff increase during the final quarter of 2026.
Leave a comment