530 MW Electricity Demand Surge Sparks Island-Wide Warnings

As the sweltering heat endures, an escalating demand for electricity has led to rolling blackouts across many regions of the island, particularly in the evenings. The Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities has sounded the alarm, urging residents to recalibrate their air conditioning units to a sensible 23 to 24 degrees Celsius, instead of the icy 16 degrees many seem to prefer.

On 20th February, electricity demand surged to between 525 and 530 megawatts (MW) in the evening—an alarming figure that well exceeds typical consumption levels.

The situation has been further exacerbated by a critical engine failure at the Nicolay power station.

A department source expressed the gravity of the situation, noting that earlier in February, demand had spiked to a staggering 567.9 MW.

“In response, we’ve initiated a public awareness campaign in collaboration with the Energy Efficiency Management Office (EEMO) to encourage citizens to lower their consumption,” the Defi Media source explained.

This initiative has included television adverts and outreach in shopping centres aimed at promoting a more responsible approach to electricity use.

While these efforts have managed to curb consumption to approximately 530 MW, the margin for safety remains perilously slim.

“Ideally, we need to stabilise consumption around 495 MW. Although we’ve regained a slight respite, the continued peak of 530 MW is concerning,” the Defi Media source warned.

The situation is further compounded by the state of the electricity infrastructure.

The Central Electricity Board (CEB) finds itself compelled to rely on its reserves from the Nicolay thermal power station, which ordinarily operates with three engines: two rated at 40 MW each and a third at 30 MW.

However, with the latter now out of commission and repairs expected to take at least ten days, the CEB is only able to draw 40 MW from the power station, drastically limiting their operational flexibility.

The CEB is now in a dire predicament, drawing heavily on its energy reserves.

It has not faced such a heavy reliance on gas turbines in a decade, a scenario fraught with both financial and operational risks.

The cost of electricity generated by gas turbines is Rs 17 per kilowatt, significantly higher than the Rs 6 for that produced from coal engines.

This growing dependency is likely to place an even greater strain on the already faltering finances of the CEB, which reported a monumental loss of Rs 4.8 billion in the financial year 2023-24.

The organisation has even resorted to overdrafts to ensure its employees are paid at month’s end.

This unprecedented engine failure amplified concerns about the stability of the electrical grid.

“If another engine or power station were to fail, the situation would become even more critical,” warned the source.

Consequently, the CEB has had to reevaluate its maintenance schedule.

“We can no longer adhere to the original agenda,” they confided.

In light of this ongoing heatwave, authorities are urging the public to implement simple energy-saving measures, such as adjusting air conditioning settings to between 23 and 24 degrees.

To enhance control over energy consumption from imported air conditioning units, the Energy Efficiency (Minimum Energy Performance Standards for Regulated Machinery) Regulations 2025 will be amended to introduce mandatory minimum energy performance standards for these machines.

Initially, these regulations will apply to regulated air conditioning units, including split systems and portable single-duct models with a cooling capacity of up to 12 kW.

Set to take effect on 1st March, a six-month moratorium will be granted to traders to allow for compliance.

This resolution was approved by the Cabinet during its meeting on 21st February.

In these challenging times, it is imperative that we all play our part in tempering our energy consumption for the sake of the community and our collective future.

Source: Defi Media