Sri Lanka power supply fails

April 28, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka was plunged in darkness shortly after nightfall Monday as the power grid operated by state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) failed for the third time this year. Pulleperuma said the cause for the failure would be investigated later. CEB General Manager Ranjith Pulleperuma said power had failed to most parts of Sri Lanka except Badulla, Randenigala and Rantembe areas.

He said the priority was to restore power to Colombo and the Katunayake airport areas with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad due to land in the country on a state visit.

Power to the island last failed on April 13.

On January 21 an exploding current transformer in the outskirts of Colombo tripped the system leaving only Badulla energized.

President Ahmadinejad is due to inaugurate an Iranian funded hydro-power project for cash strapped utility tomorrow as part of his visit.