CEB engineers suspect power outage ‘a sabotage’

Wednesday, 8 December 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ceylon Electricity Board Senior Engineer's Association Noel Priyanth gestures at the media briefing chaired by Honorary President Dr. H.M. Wijekoon on Monday

– Pic by Lasantha Kumara

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Senior Electrical Engineers’ Association on Monday called on the Government to conduct an impartial inquiry into the power outages on 29 November which are suspected to be sabotage.

Representatives of the union stated at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday that there is a suspicion that an invisible hand is behind the breakdown of the entire power system.

Speaking further, Ceylon Electricity Board Senior Electrical Engineers Association President Dr. H.M. Wijekoon noted that the entire power system of the country has collapsed on two consecutive days when there was no change in the weather and therefore an impartial investigation should be carried out.

“The entire power system collapsed at a time when the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union was embarking on a trade union action. The system at a very advanced stage of technology, is designed to be updated in the event of a crash.

“It appears that some union representatives are directly involved in the power outages. The truth can be revealed by conducting a proper and impartial investigation in this regard. It is suspected that the collapse of the entire system during the course of a trade union action was a sabotage operation against management.”