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Sri Lanka's power chief resigns over third nation wide power failure in 6 months

Xinhua, March 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka's power chief resigned on Sunday following a nation wide power failure, the third to be reported in the country within six months.

The power cut which lasted for over 7 hours resulted in a water cut in several parts of the island and a disruption of services operated through electricity such as ATM machines and traffic signals.

Local media reports said that the power failure was the longest to be reported in Sri Lanka in 20 years.

Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board, Anura Wijepala said that he took 'full responsibility' of Sunday's power failure, and would tender his resignation.

Deputy Power and Energy Minister Ajith Perera told Xinhua that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had called for an emergency discussion on Monday and engineers were trying their best to restore power in all parts of the country, as some areas were in darkness even after seven hours.

"It is very strange what has happened. We are trying our best to restore the power island wide," Perera said.

Sunday's power cut is the third nation wide power failure to be reported after the new government was sworn to power in a parliamentary election in August and comes even as an investigation is underway into the previous two.

In September an island wide power failure affected the country for several hours with the Ceylon Electricity Board stating that it was due to a technical failure in the main electricity plant.

The second power failure was reported on Feb. 26 which lasted for over 3 hours with the government stating that a lightening jolt had struck one of the main power lines in the capital.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had called for an immediate probe into the power failures and had appointed two special committees to submit their reports.

Following last month's power failure, the Sri Lankan government had blamed the previous administration but opposition parliamentarian and former President's son, Namal Rajapakse tweeted on Sunday that the present government should take full responsibility for what seems to be mismanagement. Endit