World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Sri Lanka approves rolling blackout programme through October
The Public Utilities Commission has authorised a nationwide power rationing scheme to manage electricity shortages across the island. Consumers can expect daily one-hour outages distributed across evening hours until mid-October.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Sri Lanka's power crisis has prompted authorities to implement a coordinated rolling blackout programme set to continue until October 21. The Public Utilities Commission approved the measure as the country grapples with ongoing energy supply constraints.
Under the rationing scheme, the nation has been divided into four geographical groups. Each group will experience a one-hour power cut daily, with outages scheduled between 4:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The staggered approach aims to distribute the impact across different regions rather than imposing simultaneous island-wide blackouts.
The evening timeframe for the cuts was selected to minimise disruption to industrial operations and daytime commercial activity, though the measure will affect households and businesses during peak evening hours when electricity demand typically peaks.
Authorities have advised consumers to plan accordingly, with the blackout schedule expected to remain in effect through the autumn months as Sri Lanka addresses its electricity generation and distribution challenges.
Photo: Power transmission towers in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, April 2011. Rehman Abubakr via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).