Power crisis: CEB running out of fuel

The Kelanitissa Combined Cycle Power Station stopped operations on Friday (22) night, having run out of naphtha fuel stocks, The Sunday Morning learns.

According to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Spokesman Andrew Navamani, a timeline for the Kelanitissa station to come back online is unknown, as there are no naphtha fuel stocks in the country due to the Sapugaskanda Refinery being unoperational. 

“The CPC will have to provide us with either naphtha or diesel to get the plant back to generating electricity,” Navamani told The Sunday Morning. 

According to him, around one million litres of diesel are required to power the Kelanitissa plant. 

Several diesel power plants have also been brought to a halt due to the high cost of diesel and the ongoing fuel shortage.

The CEB was at risk of running out of fuel for thermal power plants which operate on liquid fuel (HFO, naphtha, and diesel) by last night (23), according to sources at the CEB.

However, a new shipment carrying 30,000 MT of furnace oil, which arrived last week and was being unloaded, will enable the power utility to recommence operation of power plants that use furnace oil. It is understood that the 30,000 MT will only be sufficient for 12-13 days as the plants consume 2,500 MT per day.

However, when contacted, CEB Chairman N.S. Ilangakoon said the CEB was currently managing the situation with three-hour-long power cuts.

He said the CEB was currently not operating power plants except for the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, where a unit which generates 300 MW is currently offline as it is undergoing maintenance.

According to CEB statistics, 39.6% of the country’s energy demand is provided by hydropower and 33.6% from thermal (coal) power. The thermal (oil) contribution to the grid currently stands at 9.5%.