Energy Minister warns power disruptions possible in March, April next year

The Minister of Energy has warned that Sri Lanka could face potential power disruptions towards late March and early April next year.

Minister Anura Karunathilaka said that recent spells of heavy rain had boosted power generation and with rainfall anticipated in October and November, there is a belief that Sri Lanka would not face issues with hydro-power until March or April.

He added that authorities are accelerating the integration of the battery energy storage systems which were recently imported, to minimize power supply interruptions.

Context

Sri Lanka is managing weather risks linked to El Niño conditions, which threaten to reduce rainfall and impact storage reservoirs.

Roughly 40% of the country’s total energy supply comes from its hydroelectric output, which will be impacted by reservoirs drying up during extended dry spells.

In addition to hydro power, roughly 27% of current energy generation is supplied by wind and solar power.

Measures

To prepare for dry conditions, the CEB aims to integrate 160 MW through Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) before December.

Initial phases will add 130 MW to the national grid by late September, followed by another 10 MW by the end of October.

A 50 MW private wind power installation in Mannar is also entering its final construction phase to bolster capacity.

Officials plan to expedite further BESS acquisitions of 250 MW and 150 MW to build resilience against El Niño weather disruptions.

Private sector participation is actively being leveraged to construct and complete these energy generation and storage facilities.

By expediting these project timelines, the Ceylon Electricity Board and its successor companies aim to build grid resilience specifically against El Niño weather challenges.