The NPP has broken its promise to significantly reduce electricity bills.

Prior to the elections, the NPP spoke as if they would significantly reduce electricity bills in days after being elected to office. Now, after being elected, they have broken their promise. 

The UNP expresses significant scepticism regarding NPP's inability to capitalize on the extensive groundwork laid by the government under President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister Kanchana Wijesekara from July 2022 to September 2024 to reduce electricity bills.

• Restructuring of CEB:

• Cabinet Approval for Restructuring: In August 2022, cabinet approval was granted to begin the restructuring of the CEB, which included appointing a committee to recommend changes within a month. This was a foundational step towards unbundling the CEB to enhance efficiency and transparency.

• Unbundling Proposal: By November 2022, cabinet approval was secured for the recommendations on restructuring, leading to the drafting of the Electricity Reforms Bill to initiate the unbundling process, with a rapid timeline for parliamentary approval.

• New Electricity Sector Bill: The culmination of these reforms was seen in June 2024 when the new Electricity Sector Bill was passed by parliament, officially unbundling CEB services to foster efficiency, quality, and private sector involvement.

• Renewable Energy Integration:

• Renewable Energy Policy: Approval for revised tariff rates for renewable energy projects was part of the initial restructuring steps in August 2022, encouraging investment in green energy.

• Expansion Plans: By November 2022, after extensive discussions, a plan was formulated to integrate over 2,800 MW of renewable energy into the grid by 2026, accelerating numerous projects.

• Tariff and Financial Management:

• Cost Reflective Tariffs: January 2023 saw the cabinet approve a cost-reflective electricity tariff to ensure the financial sustainability of the CEB, aligning prices more closely with production costs.

• Roadmap for CEB Restructuring: April 2023 marked another milestone with cabinet approval for a detailed roadmap and timeline for CEB's restructuring, including the establishment of a reform secretariat.

• Legislative and Regulatory Reforms:

• New Electricity Act: November 2023 saw the approval of the proposed Electricity Sector Reforms Bill by the cabinet, setting the stage for its presentation in parliament to enable the unbundling of CEB services.

• Fuel Supply and Competition:

• Diversification of Fuel Supply: In March 2023, plans were laid out to expedite the restructuring of CEB and CPC, including introducing three global fuel suppliers into the domestic market to foster competition and potentially lower costs.

• Public Engagement and Efficiency:

• Throughout this period, there was a concerted effort to engage with the public and stakeholders through media, ensuring transparency in the reform process and gathering feedback on policy impacts.

The UNP underscores that these steps were taken at a time when the country faced unprecedented economic challenges, yet the administration managed to keep the lights on by balancing cost recovery with consumer affordability. The UNP questions how the NPP, with such a robust framework in place, has not managed to significantly reduce electricity bills as promised, urging the current government to detail how they plan to build on these efforts to fulfill their commitments to the Sri Lankan people.