Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka

Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka
ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාව
இலங்கைப் பொதுப் பயன்பாடுகள் ஆணைக்குழு

The Bank of Ceylon Merchant Tower, which houses the PUCSL
Agency overview
JurisdictionGovernment of Sri Lanka
HeadquartersFloor 6, BOC Merchant Tower, St. Michael’s Road, Colombo 3
06°54′45″N 79°51′03″E / 6.91250°N 79.85083°E / 6.91250; 79.85083 (Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka)
Annual budgetRs 249.8 million (2017)[1]
Agency executives
  • Janaka Ratnayake, Commission Chairman
  • Prof. Janaka Ekanayake,
    Chathurika Wijesinghe,
    Udeni Wickramasinghe,
    Mohan Samaranayake, Commission members
  • Damitha Kumarasinghe, Director General
  • Gamini Herath, Deputy Director General
  • Nadheeja warapitiya, Secretary
Key document
Websitepucsl.gov.lk

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (abbreviated PUCSL) (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාව Śrī Laṃkā mahajana upayōgithā komishan sabhāwa; Tamil: இலங்கைப் பொதுப் பயன்பாடுகள் ஆணைக்குழ) is the government entity responsible for policy formulation and regulation of the electric power distribution, water supply, petroleum resources, and other public utilities in Sri Lanka.[2]

The PUCSL was established by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Act, No. 35 of 2002, and has authority for the execution of its duties through this Act, as well as through those established for organizations, agencies and corporations involved in providing public utilities in the country.[3] It has a broad mandate to act both as a consumer protection authority, as well as an advisory, inspection and policy formulation body; as such, it is also involved in issuing and enforcing licences that regulate utilities on the island, enforcing contracts between utilities providers and the State, regulating utilities tariffs, resolving disputes (both between utilities providers and the State, and between them and the public), and the establishment and enforcing safety and quality standards within the utilities sector (including standardization of the country's power plugs and sockets).[3][4] The Commission seeks to promote competition and efficiency among utilities providers, and harmonise the country's utilities sector with international standards.[3]

The commission has recently been assigned the task of producing Sri Lanka's long-term power generation plan in the middle of power shortages and an impending energy crisis in the country- the Electricity Supply 2020 and Beyond report has been the subject of minor controversy, with unionized employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board in particular taking issue with it.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ "Budget-2017" (PDF). Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka. pucsl.gov.lk. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  2. ^ "About". Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Functions and Objectives". Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka. pucsl.gov.lk. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Single Standard for Plugs and Socket Outlets in Sri Lanka". Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka. pucsl.gov.lk. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Sri Lanka to call offers for 100MW of short term power". economynext. Capital Media. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Electricity Supply 2020 and Beyond" (PDF). Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka. pucsl.gov.lk. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  7. ^ "Row over power plan: CEB union to strike". sundaytimes.lk. The Sunday Times. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.