Mr Janaka Ratnayaka, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, stated today (14) that the other three members of the commission, while rejecting his proposal of a 36% increase in electricity tariffs, agreed to CEB’s proposal of a 66% increase in electricity tariffs.
Mr Ratnayaka also stated that the CEB’s proposal to burden electricity consumers with an annual increase of Rs 287 billion was thoroughly reviewed and he reduced it to Rs 142 billion, but the other three members of the commission, attorney at law Ms Chaturika Wijesinghe, Duglas Nanayakkara, and S.G Senarathna, refused Mr Rathanyake’s rational proposal.
According to him, the rate increase that will take effect tomorrow is illegal and will cause harassment to the general public, as well as a significant burden on the entire economy. Furthermore, he claimed that the commission’s members had flagrantly violated the provisions of the Public Utility Commission and the Sri Lanka Electricity Act.
According to Mr Ratnayake, when the PUCSL met today (14) this proposal was presented.