Secretary of the Electricity Users’ Association, Sanjeewa Dhammika, yesterday called on the MPs not to vote for an amendment to the Electricity Act No. 36 of 2024 to be presented to Parliament today.
Addressing the media in Divulapitiya, Dhammika said: “The proposed bill has omitted the ‘Statement of Consumer Rights and Responsibilities’ contained in the current Electricity Act of 2009. Previously, if people faced injustice during power line installations or land acquisitions, they could appeal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), seeking redress. That right was granted through Annex 3 of the 2009 Act. In such cases, the PUCSL would refer matters to Divisional Secretaries, who ensured fair investigations. That appellate process has now been placed under the Power and Energy Ministry’s purview.
“We cannot expect the CEB to conduct fair investigations. This power should be vested in an independent institution.
“According to the new Bill, although the authority to decide electricity tariffs remains with the PUCSL, it must follow the directions of the Ministry of Finance.
This effectively clips the wings of the so-called independent commission. How can electricity consumers expect fairness in such a setup?
“Tariffs have so far been based on minimum costs. But the amendment Bill seeks to do away with this provision.
“We never expected that the NPP, which once tore up a Bill moved by Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, would introduce a worse Bill. Therefore, we urge all MPs, especially those in the NPP, to oppose Bill.”
By Anuradha Hiripitiyage