In brief
The recent nationwide power outage in Sri Lanka highlights ongoing instability in the country's energy supply. Hospitals and businesses have resorted to using generators as officials work to resolve the issue attributed to a monkey interfering with the grid.
Sri Lanka has been struck by a major power outage that has left various sectors, including hospitals, relying on generators for electricity. The incident commenced at approximately 11:30 local time (06:00 GMT) and remains unresolved. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) cited an emergency at a sub-station as the root cause of the outage, with restoration efforts ongoing.Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody humorously attributed blame for the disruption to a monkey that allegedly "came into contact with our grid transformer causing an imbalance in the system," as reported by the AFP news agency. He assured the public that engineers are actively working to address the situation and restore power throughout the island.In the meantime, critical establishments, including hospitals and businesses, are relying heavily on generators and inverters to maintain operations. This situation serves as a poignant reminder of the energy challenges Sri Lanka has faced, especially in light of the widespread blackouts experienced during the economic turmoil of 2022. The CEB reiterated its commitment to resolving the power failure swiftly while the nation of 22 million grapples with infrastructural vulnerabilities.
