IntelScoops

COLOMBO – August 5, 2025

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) today launched a full-day public hearing into the island-wide blackout that plunged the country into darkness on February 9, 2025. The hearing, which commenced at 8:30 a.m. at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, aims to uncover the exact cause of the nationwide power failure and assess the accountability of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

Senior officials from the CEB, including its Acting General Manager, appeared before the Commission to provide sworn statements and technical clarifications. The hearing follows growing public and institutional dissatisfaction with the initial explanations provided by the state utility provider.

The outage, which lasted several hours and disrupted transport, hospitals, and digital infrastructure, was initially attributed to an incident at the Panadura Grid Substation. In a widely reported statement, Minister of Power and Energy Eng. Kumara Jayakody claimed that the fault had been caused by a monkey falling onto the power lines at the substation.

The explanation drew both ridicule and skepticism locally and internationally, prompting the PUCSL to reopen the investigation. The Commission has expressed concerns that the technical reports submitted by the CEB did not sufficiently establish the root cause of the grid failure or outline measures to prevent future incidents.

Speaking at the hearing, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said,

“The public deserves clarity, not convenience. A nation’s entire grid should not collapse from a single point of failure, regardless of the circumstances. The purpose of this hearing is to assess systemic vulnerabilities.”

Today’s session, which is scheduled to continue until 6:00 p.m., includes technical testimony, public comments, and expert analysis. Consumer rights groups, engineers, and energy sector watchdogs are also in attendance.

The blackout in February marked the third major grid failure in under five years and has reignited concerns over Sri Lanka’s ageing power infrastructure and crisis preparedness.

PUCSL is expected to publish its final report within the coming weeks, including recommendations for future grid resilience, disciplinary actions if required, and possible policy interventions.

The CEB has not yet commented officially on whether alternative theories are being investigated, but sources within the Board have privately acknowledged that internal protocols may not have been followed at the Panadura substation on the day of the incident.