PUCSL lights up for O/L candidates

• PUCSL Chief Janaka Rathnayake says no load shedding at night till G.C.E. O/L examination finishes on 1 June
• Affirms Norochcholai will add 270 MWs to national grid from today
• Calls on public not to block roads with protests as children need to reach exam centres without delay 

Electricity regulator the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) yesterday said the duration of daily power disruptions will reduce to three hours or less from today.

The new schedule has been issued due to the conduct of the G.C.E. Ordinary Level, which began today. “The power cuts will not be imposed after 6:30 p.m. daily from today till 1 June,” PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayake told journalists.

He also said that 270 MW electricity will be added to the national grid from today, as the technical issues in the Norochcholai power plant are being fixed.

“The repairs at the Norochcholai plant are expected to be completed by Sunday midnight, whilst the testing is currently underway. Norochcholai plant will be operating in full swing today,” he added.

Rathnayake said the addition of the 270 MW to the national grid from today will help to generate a continuous supply of electricity for the duration of the GCE Ordinary Level Examinations without any hiccoughs.

“The rectification of the malfunctions of the Norochcholai power plant also save 10,000 tons of diesel which otherwise would have been needed to generate 270 MW electricity,” he explained.

In this challenging situation, he emphasised the need of all relevant Government institutions to provide special assistance to the Department of Examinations in Sri Lanka for the successful conduct of the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination, highlighting that these children are the future of the country.

Rathnayake also requested the public not to block roads with protests as children need to reach the exam centres on time. 

PUCSL Chief said that he had requested the Mahaweli Authority Water Management Secretariat to release water required for power generation during the above-mentioned timeline, to which they have also responded favourably.