The Ministry of Power and Energy yesterday reiterated that the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will move forward as planned, despite warnings from trade unions of a continuous strike.
The Sri Lanka Nidahas Sewaka Sangamaya (SLNSS) has been engaged in a work-to-rule campaign, protesting the government’s proposal to reorganise the CEB into four independent entities. Union leaders claim the move could trigger privatisation and threaten workers’ job insecurity.
However, a senior Ministry official, speaking to The Island, dismissed such fears as unfounded. “We are carrying out this restructuring systematically and in line with national interest. This is not about political whims and fancies, as some are trying to portray. The CEB cannot continue to run in its present form, burdening the economy. We will not allow it to go bankrupt,” the official stressed.
He added that while the government remained committed to fair treatment of workers, reforms are essential to ensure efficiency, financial stability, and improved service delivery in the power sector. “If necessary, compensation mechanisms will be in place. But the public cannot be held hostage to the demands of a few,” the official noted.
The government’s restructuring plan, which aims to modernise the CEB and reduce its mounting financial losses, has been welcomed by several energy sector experts who argue that reforms are long overdue.
Meanwhile, union leaders, including SLNSS General Secretary Prabath Priyantha, warned that the ongoing work-to-rule campaign could escalate into a full strike if the government does not respond to their demands. But the Ministry maintains that national interest and long-term energy security cannot be compromised by short-term union pressures.
Significantly, the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) — the most powerful collective within the utility — has not yet decided to join the SLNSS campaign, weakening the momentum of the protest.
By Ifham Nizam
