The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal by the Minister of Energy to launch an integrated programme branded the “Surakimu Lanka” National Energy Security Mission, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced.
The government said Sri Lanka’s energy security has been strained by a range of pressures, including heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels, unexpected drought conditions that curb hydropower, intermittent disruptions to fuel supply linked to geopolitical instability, and volatility in global fuel prices. It noted that the burden of rising fuel-import costs on the national economy is further intensified by irregular electricity consumption patterns.
To manage these pressures, the Cabinet said it was essential to shift electricity use, as far as possible, to time periods with higher renewable energy generation, and to improve consumption efficiency through behavioural change among the public.
The “Surakimu Lanka” programme will be implemented in collaboration with all government institutions, public corporations and statutory bodies, led by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Energy, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority and the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, together with the private sector and the general public.
The initiative builds on the government’s wider energy agenda under Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka, which has emphasised renewable expansion and demand management. Sri Lanka’s hydropower output has come under strain from declining reservoir levels in the central highlands, reinforcing the case for shifting demand and curbing waste. Full operational details and timelines are expected to be released by the Ministry of Energy.
