The Energy Forum and the Green Movement have been telling people for years and years that there is no point in pursuing the mad plans of the CEB to build more and more coal power plants. We have also tried to make them see sense in determining a tariff structure that taxes those who consume the least amount of electricity less and makes sure that the people whose excessive usage had brought about the skyrocketing electric bills that the average Sri Lankan citizen has to pay. To no avail. None whatsoever. The CEB was deaf and blind to the pleading of the people and equally deaf and blind to pure logic. Of course, the powers that be over at the CEB thought they were divinity. When a case was filed in the SC against the CEB, our friend Mr. Asoka Abeygunawardane of the Energy Forum joined that battle as an interventional plaintiff and submitted a far more comprehensive formula driven tariff system for consideration by the courts. The CJ ordered the tariffs to be revised and promised to have the CEB to establish a tariff system based on Asoka’s mechanisms in the near future.

It was rather strange to see the CEB comes into courts singing an entirely different tune to the one that they were used to. It brought to mind the famous ditty “Yes Sir, No Sir, Three bags full sir!” Well we don’t care too much. The upshot of our joint action where the GMSL helped the Energy Forum according to our mutually compatible ideological fundamentals ensured that the Hon. Chief Justice issued a directive to revise tariffs in accordance with the our thinking by November 1st 2008. VICTORY! We congratulate our friends and colleagues at the Energy Forum for obtaining a crucial judgment from the SC that will no doubt ease the terrible cost of living under which the citizens of the country our living. 

The details:

In accordance with a directive of the Supreme Court to formulate a more reasonable tariff system, the proposed tariff system outlined by the chairman of the CEB was to be implemented by 1st November 2008. The SC also ordered the CEB to give wide publicity to the advantages to consumers because revisions in the media. The Solicitor General submitted the new tariff system to courts and stated that the revised method will bring tariffs down below the 2006 levels.

The Solicitor General stated that the tariffs were in accordance with the block system proposed by the Supreme Courts. This new tariff system was submitted to the courts as a response to a petition filed by Rev. Thiniyavala Palitha and Rev. Maduluwawe Sobith against the unbearable costs of electricity. The bench comprising of Chief Justice Mr. Sarath Silva, Mr. K.Sri Pavan and Mr. P.A.Ratnayake tried the case and the respondents included the CEB, its Chairman and members of its Director Board.

The Supreme Court also ordered that if there were any problems or amendments to the proposed tariff system they should be submitted to the courts through a motion.  

Explaining the tariff system further, the Solicitor General Mr. Rajaratnam stated that factories, hotels, shops and general/special requirements would also be given some relief according to the new tariffs. The currently existing tariff system introduced in January 2008 send the bill of consumers consuming less than 90 units up to Rs. 576 and that of those consuming 90 units to Rs. 1200. The order from the Supreme Courts came subsequent to this introduction as it was not happy with the burden being placed on low electricity consumers. Considering the petition, a formula based tariff system by the interventional plaintiff, senior electrical engineer Mr. Asoka Abeygunawardane submitted to the courts through Counsel Mr. Manohara Silva was taken up for consideration. The CJ promised to direct the CEB to implement this system in the future.