World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Sri Lanka braces for extended power cuts after major plant shutdown
All three generating units at the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai have been taken offline, triggering widespread electricity outages across the island. The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka approved the shutdown on Monday following a request from the National System Operator.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Power cuts persisted across Sri Lanka yesterday and were expected to continue throughout the day following the complete shutdown of the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai. The facility's three generating units were all taken offline as part of system management measures.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) granted approval for the shutdown on Monday after receiving a formal request from the National System Operator (NSO). The decision reflects ongoing challenges in meeting the country's electricity demand and managing generation capacity.
The outages affect consumers nationwide, with no immediate timeline provided for the restoration of full power generation capacity at the facility. Authorities have not yet specified the duration of the shutdown or issued revised forecasts for when normal supply patterns may resume.
The Lakvijaya Power Plant, one of Sri Lanka's major thermal generation facilities, plays a critical role in the national electricity supply system. The simultaneous offline status of all three units represents a significant reduction in available generating capacity during a period of heightened demand.
Photo: The Lakvijaya (Norochcholai) Power Station in Puttalam, seen from the Madurankuliya Wind Farm site, July 2013. Hisham Cassim via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).