<p paraeid="{3bb81f72-3bf2-4a41-8f27-2d03ec7e9594}{152}" paraid="1543422119" >As Sri Lanka grapples with a major power outage, a senior government official has blamed the poor quality of crude oil imports for the shutdown of a power plant, resulting in extended power cuts.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{feeee2b0-2f99-48f2-9de1-215f25327b31}{33}" paraid="151688361" >Chief of the Public Utilities Commission—which oversees electric power distribution, water supply, and petroleum resources— Janaka Ratnayake claimed that high sulphur content in oil had massively impacted the electricity generation capacity of a power station. &nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{e8583810-74c6-4cb0-b50c-1312bf356161}{85}" paraid="1522008014" >"Sulphur content is too high in the furnace oil [fuel oil] which is not suitable for the current power plants and it's also not conforming with environmental standards," Ratnayake told the BBC.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{feeee2b0-2f99-48f2-9de1-215f25327b31}{47}" paraid="1238215470" >The accusation of the government official came a week after the Colombo government extended the power cuts from 80 minutes to 140 minutes because of a fall in power generating capacity.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{feeee2b0-2f99-48f2-9de1-215f25327b31}{54}" paraid="259725076" >Around 10 per cent of the country's electricity comes from diesel and fuel oil power plants, while the rest of the power is generated from hydro, renewable and coal-powered plants, Ratnayake said.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{feeee2b0-2f99-48f2-9de1-215f25327b31}{61}" paraid="811659073" >However, the charge was vehemently opposed by Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, who threatened to take legal action against Ratnayake.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{8877673a-6754-4ed2-a05e-06aed00f1140}{95}" paraid="1755213627" >Taking to Twitter, Wijesekara said that the power cut duration was increased because one of the hydro-power stations broke down and also due to insufficient funds to import diesel and fuel oil.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CPC will respond legally to Chairman, PUCSL on the accusations on the quality of Crude Oil. CPC has adequate stocks of Diesel &amp; Fuel Oil. Extended Power Cuts was requested by CEB due to breakdown at Lakshapana, insufficient funds at CEB for diesel &amp; fuel oil &amp; Hydro management.</p>
— Kanchana Wijesekera (@kanchana_wij) <a href="https://twitter.com/kanchana_wij/status/1574282393225433088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>“CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation)&nbsp;will respond legally to Chairman, PUCSL on the accusations on the quality of Crude Oil. CPC has adequate stocks of Diesel &amp; Fuel Oil. Extended Power Cuts was requested by CEB due to breakdown at Lakshapana, insufficient funds at CEB for diesel &amp; fuel oil &amp; Hydro management,” he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{7023fb15-5a7c-452b-acd1-2964a7a03c05}{126}" paraid="1749342778" >Meanwhile, the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineer's Union gas warned that daily power cuts might be extended to ten hours a day, if coal is not received by&nbsp;October 25&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{1c484f91-58fe-4366-a63a-ee2c9bec73f6}{6}" paraid="9190185" >Currently, the coal stock is sufficient only till October 25, according to News 1.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{1c484f91-58fe-4366-a63a-ee2c9bec73f6}{251}" paraid="329742929" >(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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As Sri Lanka grapples with a major power outage, a senior government official has blamed the poor quality of crude oil imports for the shutdown of a power plant, resulting in extended power cuts.

As Sri Lanka grapples with a major power outage, a senior government official has blamed the poor quality of crude oil imports for the shutdown of a power plant, resulting in extended power cuts. Chief of the Public Utilities Commission—which oversees electric power distribution, water supply, and petroleum resources— Janaka Ratnayake claimed that high sulphur content in oil had massively impacted the electricity generation capacity of a power station. "Sulphur content is too high in the furnace oil [fuel oil] which is not suitable for the current power plants and it's also not conforming with environmental standards," Ratnayake told the BBC. The accusation of the government official came a week after the Colombo government extended the power cuts from 80 minutes to 140 minutes because of a fall in power generating capacity. Around 10 per cent of the country's electricity comes from diesel and fuel oil power plants, while the rest of the power is generated from hydro, renewable and coal-powered plants, Ratnayake said. However, the charge was vehemently opposed by Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, who threatened to take legal action against Ratnayake. Taking to Twitter, Wijesekara said that the power cut duration was increased because one of the hydro-power stations broke down and also due to insufficient funds to import diesel and fuel oil. CPC will respond legally to Chairman, PUCSL on the accusations on the quality of Crude Oil. CPC has adequate stocks of Diesel & Fuel Oil. Extended Power Cuts was requested by CEB due to breakdown at Lakshapana, insufficient funds at CEB for diesel & fuel oil & Hydro management. — Kanchana Wijesekera (@kanchana_wij) September 26, 2022 × “CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation) will respond legally to Chairman, PUCSL on the accusations on the quality of Crude Oil. CPC has adequate stocks of Diesel & Fuel Oil. Extended Power Cuts was requested by CEB due to breakdown at Lakshapana, insufficient funds at CEB for diesel & fuel oil & Hydro management,” he said. Meanwhile, the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineer's Union gas warned that daily power cuts might be extended to ten hours a day, if coal is not received by October 25 Currently, the coal stock is sufficient only till October 25, according to News 1. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Sri Lanka power cut: Govt official blames poor oil quality, minister threatens legal action 

<p>Sri Lanka on Friday limited the fuel supply for motorists with immediate effect as low foreign reserves continued to cripple the island nation from importing several essential items.</p>

<p>According to the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), people with two-wheelers will be allowed to buy petrol for a maximum of 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees (US$3), per visit.</p>

<p>While three-wheelers will be able to get 1,500 Sri Lankan rupees worth of fuel (petrol or diesel) and cars, vans, and jeeps for up to 5,000 Sri Lankan rupees.</p>

<p>However, these limits would not be applicable to buses, lorries and other commercial vehicles.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, serpentine queues were witnessed outside several fuel retail outlets in Ceylon. Many people complained of having to wait for hours to get petrol only to be returned empty-handed.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Queue for petrol has come to our doorstep now,a side road winding the station on main road;they’re sitting in their 3-wheelers waiting for bowsers to come;queue already 1km long is being joined by new vehicles every minute:not sure when they could fill tanks: <a href="https://t.co/1LIY8nyLP5">pic.twitter.com/1LIY8nyLP5</a></p>
— W A Wijewardena (@waw1949) <a href="https://twitter.com/waw1949/status/1514872829187031040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, Chairman of state-owned Litro Gas, Theshara Jayasinghe tendered his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.</p>

<p>Citing multiple reasons, such as the gas crisis and the present state of affairs as well as his personal policies, Theshara Jayasinghe said he decided to step down with effect from April 14, 2022.</p>

<p>Since February, Sri Lanka has been facing fuel scarcity after the government ran out of dollars to import fuel.</p>

<p>The shortage had forced the government to impose extended power cuts, sometimes up to 13 hours per day.</p>

<p>Tensions over the scarcity of supplies have led to sporadic violence among those scrambling to buy fuel and other essential items.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/power-to-the-people-rap-song-featuring-wions-report-on-sri-lanka-economic-crisis-goes-viral-468843">'Power to the people': Rap song featuring WION's report on Sri Lanka economic crisis goes viral</a></p>

<p>The rapid drain of Sri Lanka’s dollars has left it struggling to pay for critical imports as currency reserves have slumped 70 per cent in the last two years to $2.31 billion.</p>

<p>The move to impose fuel rationing system comes three days after Sri Lanka announced a pre-emptive default on all its foreign loans due to insufficient reserves.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/exclusive-former-minister-calls-sri-lankas-current-situation-chaos-says-govt-trying-to-hold-on-to-power-469337">Sri Lanka crisis: Govt trying to hold on to power, cricket icon Arjuna Ranatunga tells WION</a></p>

<p>Finance Minister Ali Sabry, ministry officials and Central Bank officials are expected to begin talks with the International Monetary Fund on Monday for a loan to manage the balance of payment crisis.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Global Headlines: Sri Lanka running out of life-saving medicines</strong></p>

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Sri Lanka on Friday limited the fuel supply for motorists with immediate effect as low foreign reserves continued to cripple the island nation from importing several essential items.

Sri Lanka on Friday limited the fuel supply for motorists with immediate effect as low foreign reserves continued to cripple the island nation from importing several essential items. According to the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), people with two-wheelers will be allowed to buy petrol for a maximum of 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees (US$3), per visit. While three-wheelers will be able to get 1,500 Sri Lankan rupees worth of fuel (petrol or diesel) and cars, vans, and jeeps for up to 5,000 Sri Lankan rupees. However, these limits would not be applicable to buses, lorries and other commercial vehicles. Meanwhile, serpentine queues were witnessed outside several fuel retail outlets in Ceylon. Many people complained of having to wait for hours to get petrol only to be returned empty-handed. Queue for petrol has come to our doorstep now,a side road winding the station on main road;they’re sitting in their 3-wheelers waiting for bowsers to come;queue already 1km long is being joined by new vehicles every minute:not sure when they could fill tanks: pic.twitter.com/1LIY8nyLP5 — W A Wijewardena (@waw1949) April 15, 2022 × Meanwhile, Chairman of state-owned Litro Gas, Theshara Jayasinghe tendered his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Citing multiple reasons, such as the gas crisis and the present state of affairs as well as his personal policies, Theshara Jayasinghe said he decided to step down with effect from April 14, 2022. Since February, Sri Lanka has been facing fuel scarcity after the government ran out of dollars to import fuel. The shortage had forced the government to impose extended power cuts, sometimes up to 13 hours per day. Tensions over the scarcity of supplies have led to sporadic violence among those scrambling to buy fuel and other essential items. Also read | 'Power to the people': Rap song featuring WION's report on Sri Lanka economic crisis goes viral The rapid drain of Sri Lanka’s dollars has left it struggling to pay for critical imports as currency reserves have slumped 70 per cent in the last two years to $2.31 billion. The move to impose fuel rationing system comes three days after Sri Lanka announced a pre-emptive default on all its foreign loans due to insufficient reserves. Also read | Sri Lanka crisis: Govt trying to hold on to power, cricket icon Arjuna Ranatunga tells WION Finance Minister Ali Sabry, ministry officials and Central Bank officials are expected to begin talks with the International Monetary Fund on Monday for a loan to manage the balance of payment crisis. Watch | Gravitas Global Headlines: Sri Lanka running out of life-saving medicines

Sri Lanka limits supply of petrol, diesel to tackle fuel crisis

A sudden power cut plunged Sri Lanka into crisis as technicians said the failure was due to a technical issue in the Kerawalapitiya Sub Power Station, located on the outskirts of Colombo. Sri Lanka's Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has appointed a high-level committee to investigate a nationwide power outage that plunged the country into darkness for over seven hours on August 18.

Sri Lanka power crisis | Chinese built power plant shuts down

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Sri Lanka power cut: Govt official blames poor oil quality, minister threatens legal action

Sri Lanka limits supply of petrol, diesel to tackle fuel crisis

Sri Lanka power crisis | Chinese built power plant shuts down