The Electricity Users Association alleges that there is an attempt to increase electricity tariffs by 40% behind the suppression of solar power.
Sanjeewa Dhammika, the national secretary of the association, says that the attack on the solar industry has caused losses of five hundred and fifty million rupees to entrepreneurs and 1100 million to the government.
“This process has resulted in the loss of 790,000 low-cost electricity units to the system. Even though solar power generation has stopped, fuel-fired thermal power plants are still operating. The loss from that is Rs. 200 million. The low-cost electricity units that could have been purchased for Rs. 10 are being rejected and electricity is being purchased from their respective power plants for Rs. 50 to Rs. 100. The total loss from this process is close to Rs. 2100 million. The Public Utilities Commission should immediately stand up for the consumers. We see this as a plan to increase electricity bills from June, claiming that the cost of production is high,” he said.