Technical fault causes power failure in parts of Colombo

A technical fault caused a power failure in parts of Colombo last afternoon.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed authorities to submit a report over the sudden power cuts in some parts of the country during the local New Year.

Many electricity consumers were reported to have complained to the Prime Minister that they were faced with power outages despite an assurance from the Government of uninterrupted power supply during the New Year season.

Wickremesinghe had informed the relevant authorities to provide a complete report regarding the matter.

Sri Lanka’s power sector has been facing a crisis in the recent months with three nation-wide power failures reported since September last year.

The latest country-wide breakdown was reported on 13 March, with power cut off for more than seven hours, the longest power failure to be reported in Sri Lanka in 20 years.

The failure occurred due to an explosion in an electricity transformer in the outskirts of the capital which prompted authorities to initiate an immediate probe.

Days later, another substation in Kotugoda, in the suburbs of the capital caught fire after exploding, plunging parts of the country into darkness.

Experts from Germany arrived in the country last month to inspect the two transformers which caught fire and the reasons which led to the power failures. The Government has announced that it would seek assistance and support from China to operate the country’s main power plant. (Colombo Gazette)