Sri Lanka’s national electricity grid operator on Thursday announced an end to scheduled power cuts following the restoration of a unit at the Norochcholai coal-fired power station to its full capacity.
On October 19, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) said it had been asked by the National System Operator (NSO) to approve one-hour power cuts on October 19, 20 and 21.
The NSO said on Thursday electricity demand management measures would no longer be required after Lakvijaya Power Station Unit 2 was restored to its full 270 MW capacity.
The scheduled cuts were imposed between 4.30 pm and 8.30 pm in zones designated by the NSO.
The Energy Ministry said the cuts were necessary to maintain system balance and grid stability following a recent power outage.
On Saturday, a sudden imbalance in the power system caused an islandwide blackout, with outages lasting more than six hours in some areas.
Sri Lanka had imposed severe power rationing between January 2022 and February 2023, at the height of the country’s unprecedented economic crisis.
At the peak of the crisis, Sri Lankans faced power cuts of up to 10 hours a day, amid widespread public anger and street protests calling for the resignation of the then  Government.
