Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka yesterday questioned the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka’s (PUCSL) decision to hold a public hearing on electricity tariffs, despite the National System Operator (NSO) indicating that it would not seek a revision for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Addressing Parliament, Karunathilaka said available data and forecasts showed no need for a further electricity tariff increase this year. He described the decision to proceed with the hearing as a waste of public funds.
The Minister claimed that the hearing would merely provide an opportunity for certain opposition politicians, defeated politicians and some YouTubers to express their views.
“We wonder whether the decision to hold public consultations was taken by the members of the Commission or its officials,” he said.
“Based on available data and forecasts, we see no need for another electricity tariff increase this year.”
Explaining the process, Karunathilaka said the NSO submitted projected electricity generation costs to the PUCSL every quarter.
Following its routine submission, the NSO had informed the Commission in a letter dated 6 October that projected generation costs had fallen from Rs. 129 billion to Rs. 125 billion, removing the need for a tariff revision, he said.
While acknowledging that the PUCSL Act provided for public hearings in the public interest, the Minister questioned the need to hold one when the NSO had already indicated that no increase was necessary.
Meanwhile, at a stakeholder consultation held yesterday on electricity tariffs for the fourth quarter of 2026, NSO (Pvt) Ltd reiterated that it would not seek an increase for the October–December period.
The NSO attributed its position to prevailing reservoir storage levels and forecasts of above-normal rainfall, which it linked to prevailing El Niño conditions.
