No Immediate Decision to Reduce Electricity Tariff by 22.5%!

Since Anura Kumara Dissanayake's appointment as president, social media has seen a surge of misleading posts targeting him and his newly formed government. Many of these posts spread false or exaggerated claims, often distorting facts about his policies, actions, and appointments.

Social Media Posts

Amidst this backdrop, social media users are widely sharing a claim stating that the newly appointed president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, will reduce electricity tariffs by 22.5%. This claim has garnered significant attention, particularly as the country deals with economic challenges, and any relief in utility bills is seen as welcome news.

FB | Archived

We decided to do a fact-check on this.

Fact Check :

Mainstream Media Coverage: To verify this claim, we thoroughly searched mainstream media outlets and official announcements. No credible media source or news report has mentioned any decision or plan to reduce the electricity bill by 22.5% now. However, a few months ago, the previous government reduced 22.5% of electricity tariffs. Related news articles can be read here and here

Communication with the CEB: To further investigate the claim, we contacted the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) spokesperson, who confirmed that no such decision had been made to reduce electricity tariffs by 22.5%. The spokesperson emphasised that any changes in the electricity tariff would require careful evaluation and official approval, none of which have occurred at this point.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake's Election Pledge: The claim appears to be linked to a statement made by Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the election campaign. In his campaign, he promised to explore ways to reduce the burden of utility costs on the public, including a potential cut in electricity tariffs. However, his speech referenced a possible reduction of one-third of the tariff. That promise can be read here Archived

Moreover, this promise was contingent upon the broader economic restructuring of the energy sector and would require proper implementation over time.

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Conclusion:

The social media claim that Anura Kumara Dissanayake has decided to reduce electricity bills by 22.5% is false. There has yet to be an official announcement from the government or the CEB regarding such a reduction. The confusion likely stems from misinterpreting a broader campaign promise about potential future cuts in electricity tariffs.

No such decision has been made yet, and the public is advised to rely on official sources for any updates regarding changes to utility bills.