Sri Lanka’s latest attempt to reshape its electricity generation strategy is raising fresh questions over whether the country is moving towards a cleaner and more reliable power system—or simply transferring the cost of unresolved planning failures to electricity consumers.
The National System Operator (NSO) Private Limited has presented a new interim power generation plan, but the Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA) has warned that the proposal could ultimately increase the financial burden on consumers. The association has also questioned whether the interim plan is being used to conceal shortcomings in earlier long-term generation strategies.
ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika has called on the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) to scrutinise the proposal before allowing it to proceed. According to him, the plan cannot be assessed merely by looking at generation capacity. Generation, transmission infrastructure, system stability and the eventual cost imposed on consumers must be examined together.
One of the most serious concerns is the apparent mismatch between recently approved renewable energy tariffs and the generation assumptions contained in the new plan. Dhammika argues that existing tariffs are already making it difficult for domestic investors to develop new solar and wind projects.
This creates a potentially damaging contradiction. Sri Lanka wants to accelerate renewable energy while simultaneously creating an investment environment in which developers may be reluctant to commit capital. If competition is insufficient, the country could end up procuring renewable electricity at higher prices, with consumers ultimately carrying the additional cost through their electricity bills.
The proposed expansion of battery storage presents another major challenge. The plan reportedly anticipates approximately 1,080 megawatts of battery storage capacity by 2029. While storage will become increasingly important as intermittent renewable generation expands, Dhammika questions whether Sri Lanka has the financial and technical capacity to build such a large system within only three years.
The issue is not simply the price of batteries. Large-scale storage requires appropriate grid infrastructure, sophisticated control systems, transmission capacity and financing. Without these supporting investments, additional renewable generation could create new vulnerabilities rather than solve existing problems.
Dhammika also raises concerns about grid stability as solar power occupies a growing share of generation. Solar plants do not provide the same system inertia as conventional rotating generators. Consequently, a sudden loss of a major generation source could create instability if adequate balancing technologies and reserves are unavailable.
The ECA’s warning therefore goes beyond opposition to one interim plan. It raises a fundamental question about Sri Lanka’s electricity policy: can the country achieve its renewable-energy ambitions without repeating the planning failures of the past?
For consumers, the answer matters enormously. A transition to 70 percent renewable energy may be necessary, but it must not become a justification for higher tariffs, expensive emergency procurement or an increased risk of blackouts.
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