El Niño unlikely to cause major disruptions to power supply: Minister

Saturday, 13 June 2026 07:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka yesterday expressed confidence that the anticipated El Niño weather conditions will not have a significant impact on the country’s electricity generation capacity.

Speaking on the potential effects of reduced rainfall on hydropower production, the Minister said current forecasts indicate a possible decline of 127 GWh in hydropower generation.

However, he stressed that the reduction is not expected to create major challenges for the country’s power sector.

Karunathilaka noted that the country has access to alternative energy sources that can be utilised to compensate for any shortfall in hydropower generation.

“The Government expects to ensure an uninterrupted power supply despite the expected weather-related impacts and remains prepared to deploy other generation sources, if necessary,” he added.