“Electricity Is A Basic Right.”

Enriching lives through power, Ceylon Electricity Board general manager SDW Gunawardana won’t rest until Sri Lanka is 100 per cent powered.

- Julie Cooper

Sri Lanka’s first light bulb illuminated the country more than a century ago. It was in a billiards room in the Bristol Hotel at Colombo Fort in 1890, and the bulb was powered by a diesel generator. A lot has changed in the world of electricity since, especially for the small island country of Sri Lanka.

This year, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) celebrates its 50th anniversary powering the island. Using a combination of conventional fossil fuel energy sources and modern renewable resources from its 26 power stations (17 hydropower stations, seven thermal power stations, a coal power station and a wind power plant), CEB fulfils the increasing national electricity demand while keeping the health of Mother Earth at the forefront.

“Clean energy is on everybody’s mind,” says CEB General Manager SDW Gunawardana. “We constantly strive to provide a consistent supply of electricity with as little impact to the environment as possible. But, since we are isolated from the rest of the world on a small island in the Indian Ocean, we have our restrictions. When we intervene with any kind of new or alternative energy sources, we have to ensure that the reliability and sustainability of our electric supply is maintained.”