The need to saving electricity (2 items)

Switch off and save money too - minister

Disna Mudalige

Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday requested electricity consumers to provide their voluntary contribution to save electricity during the peak hours from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

The minister launching the Today for Tomorrow energy conservation programme at the BMICH, observed that among the total electricity consumers of the CEB and LECO amounting to five million, 4.6 million are domestic consumers.

Ranawaka requested the public to contribute towards saving electricity during peak hours at night by following three simple means which would in turn make power plants operating from diesel unwanted.

He observed that if each of these consumers switched off one 60W light bulb, there is the potential to save 180MW and if the refrigerators were turned off for two hours during this period another 214MW could be saved.

If people avoid using the electric iron during the peak hours and adjusted to use it at some other time of the day, another 68MW could be saved.

The minister observed that people could also save about Rs 2,000 from their electricity bills annually though these means. Ranawaka observed that the country’s electricity demand exceeds 2,000MW during peak hours in the night adding that if the demand could be reduced by 350MW, the country would not require thermal power plants operated by diesel.

He said that the country could save about Rs 25 billion by these means. He noted that the production cost of an electricity unit during peak hours is unbearably high as Rs 60, even though it is sold at Rs 16. The minister noted that awareness programmes would be conducted from Monday for schoolchildren to pass the message of electricity conservation in their homes. Ranawaka said that as the next step, all state sector institutions would be incorporated into this programme.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/03/21/news04.asp



Help save Rs. 25 bn annually by shutting down one appliance


By Ifham Nizam


The Ceylon Electricity Board could save a staggering Rs. 25 billion annually if its 4.6 million customers stick with the Power and Energy Ministry’s initiative to switch off or cut down the use of one home appliance during the peak hours.

Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that by simply switching off the refrigerator for two hours during the period, the country could save 214MW, by switching off a 60 watts bulb - 180 MW and by avoiding the use of the iron - 68 MW.

"In turn, a consumer could cut down his monthly bill by Rs. 2,000 or more," he told a presentation titled ‘Future Energy Crisis and Solution’ which took place yesterday at the BMICH in Colombo.

He said that the biggest power demand was during the night peak hours between 6.30 and 9.30 which was met by using costly thermal power amounting to Rs. 60 per unit from the Kelanitissa Gas Turbine.

"There is no shortage of power but the country cannot go on depending on the expensive thermal power particularly during the peak hours," he said.

Answering questions he assured that by switching off the refrigerator for two hours would not lead to forming of any micro bacteria.

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=47965