Sri Lanka power generation up in August

Nov 22, 2009 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's power generation rose 1.

3 percent in August 2009 to 845 GigaWatt hours from a year earlier, with hydro power increasing its share, the latest official data showed.

Petrol sales, used mostly for private transport was up 7.1 percent to 45,000 metric tonnes.



To August petrol sales were up 4.

6 percent to 363,000 metric tonnes.

Updated In the first half of the year power generation contracted in line with a slowing economy, though official gross domestic product estimates were still in positive territory.

In the first quarter the economy officially expanded by 1.

5 percent (down from 6.2 percent a year earlier). The second quarter estimate showed 2.

1 percent growth down ggrom 7.0 percent in 2008.

But economic activities, including external trade have picked up in the second half and Sri Lank is expecting to end the year with 3.

5 percent growth.

In August state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), had generated 338 million units or GigaWatt hours of hydro power up from 291GWh a year earlier.

CEB thermal generation fell to 153GWh from 180 last year, wind was flat at 0.5GWh.

Private sector generation fell to 354GWh from 362 and emergency powe