Opposition MP D.V. Chanaka has alleged that assurances by Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody that no scheduled power cuts would take place are misleading, citing official data from the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Speaking to the media on 7 April, Chanaka said a report issued by the CEB’s System Control Centre indicated that continuous power interruptions had occurred due to insufficient electricity generation.

Referring to the report, he noted that under the section on key incidents, it had been stated that power cuts had to be implemented on an ongoing basis as generation levels were inadequate to meet demand.

He further claimed that a reduction of 150 megawatts in generation capacity—attributed to the use of substandard coal—had led to power disconnections across 45 locations, including Beliatta, Gampaha, and Colombo, through the deactivation of switches.

Chanaka said that while the energy minister had made statements in Parliament denying any planned power cuts, the CEB’s own official report had revealed the actual situation.

He also alleged that the power cuts had been carried out without approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, stating that such actions would be unlawful without regulatory consent.

According to Chanaka, if the disconnections had indeed been implemented without the required approval, both the subject minister and relevant CEB officials could face legal consequences, including potential custodial penalties.

The claims come amid ongoing concerns over electricity generation capacity and fuel quality, with the issue of coal procurement for the Lakvijaya Power Plant remaining under scrutiny.