COLOMBO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) will commence public consultation sessions on Feb. 25 regarding a proposal by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to increase electricity tariffs by 13.56 percent for the second quarter of 2026.

According to the regulator, members of the public may submit comments and suggestions both verbally and in writing from Feb. 25 to March 18. The consultation process is expected to cover all nine provinces.

The CEB, the country's largest electricity company, submitted its latest tariff revision proposal to the PUCSL on Feb. 13. The proposed adjustment would apply from April 1 to June 30, 2026.

Following receipt of the new submission, the PUCSL said it would make a final decision after reviewing public representations and other relevant considerations once the consultation period concludes.

In its submission, the CEB cited an estimated revenue deficit of 15.8 billion rupees (51.06 million U.S. dollars) for the April-June period. The utility projected total costs of 136.5 billion rupees (441.12 million dollars) during the quarter, while revenue at existing tariff rates was estimated at 116.9 billion rupees (377.78 million dollars).

The proposed increase follows an earlier attempt by the CEB to revise tariffs for the first quarter of 2026. At that time, the utility had sought an 11.57 percent increase under the quarterly tariff revision mechanism. However, the proposal did not receive approval from the PUCSL. ■