The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Energy
CEB and its subsidiaries do not install unsafe poles or cables as a matter of policy, though unsafe conditions may develop later due to natural or human factors. The Minister stated that installations follow standard procedures and that complaints about hazards are prioritized for inspection and rectification. He outlined ongoing distribution upgrades through annual system improvements and a biennial Medium Voltage System Development Plan, with Rs. 17,835 million allocated in Budget 2026 for these purposes.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the reply is as follows:
¶ 02 (a) (i) As a policy, neither the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) nor its subsidiaries install unsafe poles or cables. However, over time, due to natural causes or human activity, unsafe conditions may arise.
¶ 03 (ii) Poles and lines are installed under standard procedures with proper supervision. Where hazards arise later, CEB and subsidiaries prioritize public complaints, inspect and rectify.
¶ 04 (iii) Distribution and cable-system upgrades are continuous through two streams: - Annual “System Improvement” provisions for day-to-day identified upgrades; and - A biennial “Medium Voltage System Development Plan” for expansion and modernization. Under Budget 2026, Rs. 17,835 million is allocated: Rs. 9,744 million for System Improvement and Rs. 8,091 million under the MV Development Plan.
¶ 05 (b) Not applicable.
Provenance
- Source
- Hansard, Friday, 22 May 2026 ·No. 23666 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Energy. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 22 May 2026. No. 23666. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/16904