COLOMBO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's electricity regulator has approved a tariff increase effective April 1, following an earlier proposal submitted by the now-restructured Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and a subsequent public consultation process.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) authorized the revision after reviewing submissions related to the CEB's request to raise tariffs by 13.56 percent for the second quarter of 2026, which runs from April to June.
Under the approved structure, tariff increases vary by consumption level. Users consuming 0-30 units will see tariffs rise by 4.3 percent, while higher consumption tiers will see a higher percentage of tariff rise. The highest adjustment applies to consumers exceeding 180 units, with tariffs rising by 25 percent, according to the PUCSL.
The CEB had submitted its tariff revision proposal on February 13, citing a projected revenue shortfall of 15.8 billion rupees for the April-June period. The utility estimated total costs at 136.5 billion rupees (433 million U.S. dollars) against expected revenue of 116.9 billion rupees under existing rates.
The regulator opened the proposal for public consultation from February 25 to March 18, allowing written and verbal submissions from across all nine provinces before reaching a decision. The latest revision follows a rejected proposal for the first quarter of 2026, when the CEB sought an 11.57 percent increase. ■
