Off the wire
• 2nd LD Writethru-China Headlines: China's housing market recovery patchy  • News Analysis: U.S. services sector contraction sees world's largest economy into recession  • Abbas orders probe into death of Palestinian fugitive in Bulgaria embassy  • 2nd Ld-Writethru: China adopts first law on deep seafloor exploration  • Roundup: China's top legislature wraps up bi-monthly session  • 1st Ld-Writethru-China Focus: China's legislature introduces oath-taking for new officials  • Sexwale withdraws in speech to FIFA Congress  • Airstrikes on Syrian rebels continue ahead of truce as oppositions say to honor deal  • New energy car maker profits from policy support  • National plan will promote traditional Chinese medicine  
You are here: 　 Home

Parts of Sri Lanka face power cuts for 2nd day

Xinhua, February 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Parts of Sri Lanka's capital and its suburbs experienced a power failure for the second day on Friday, after an island-wide power cut plunged the country into darkness for several hours a day before.

Ceylon Electricity Board officials said that they were unable to ascertain the exact cause of Friday's power failure but a probe was underway.

The CEB on Thursday evening urged the public to use electricity sparingly until the Norochcholai Power Plant was fully operational.

The Western Province (South) Deputy General Manager quoted in a local media report said that arrangements had been made to restore the power supply within hours.

However the CEB said that it was unclear if Friday's power failure had any connection with the country-wide power breakage on Thursday.

The Sri Lankan government earlier on Friday said that investigations had been launched into Thursday's power failure, which is the second countrywide blackout in five months.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for a report from the Power and Renewable Energy Ministry on the power failure which lasted for several hours, starting Thursday afternoon.

Power and Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told reporters in the capital that the immediate reason for the blackout was a lightning strike on the main circuit, transmitting electricity from Kolpetty, in Colombo to Kolonnawa in the outskirts of Colombo but an immediate probe had been launched to ascertain the exact reason.

The Minister further said that a safety valve which had been installed at the Norochcholai Power Station had automatically switched off following the lightning strike.

Thursday's blackout was the second countrywide power breakage experienced following the Parliamentary Elections in August last year. In September, the country experienced an island-wide blackout due to a technical fault at the Ceylon Electricity Board. Endit