CEB consumer electricity fund in danger of being mismanaged

Leading members of several trade unions alleged that the government is making arrangements to re-constitute the board of the PUCSL paving way for stripping of its consumer protection powers.

There was a possibility that over LKR 25 billion in consumer deposits with the CEB would not be refunded due to the PUCSL restructuring, Secretary of the Union of Electricity Consumers (UEC) Sanjeewa Dhammika said.

When a person obtained an electricity connection from the CEB, he or she had to place a deposit at the regional CEB Engineer’s office.

In accordance with Sri Lanka Electricity Act, No. 20 of 2009, the CEB has to pay consumers an interest on those deposits, Dhammika said.

Section 28.3 of the Act says "(3): Where any sum of money is provided to a distribution licensee by way of security in pursuance of this section, the licensee (CEB) shall pay interest on such sum of money at such rate."

This interest may from time to time be fixed by the licensee with the approval of the Commission (PUCSL), for the period in which it remains in the hands of the licensee.’

Dhammika said: “None of the governments has paid this interest although the PUCSL annually declares the interest rate that has to be paid.

Now, there is about LKR 25 billion of electricity consumers’ money with the CEB.

"Since the PUCSL is to be dissolved, who is there to keep an eye on this money?" he asked.

Dhammika said that with LKR 25 billion, the government could construct a 100 megawatt power plant. The CEB should not be allowed to swindle the LKR 25 billion that belonged to the electricity consumers, he insisted.

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