The Supreme Court yesterday fixed for May 12 for the consideration of a Fundamental Rights petition seeking an order against the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to allow the use of rooftop solar panels to generate and use energy and to remove existing restrictions.
The petitioner had complained that the Ceylon Electricity Board was obstructing applications for the use of solar panels.
The petition also points out that the inability of roof mounted solar panels as a source of energy to use them freely is one of the reasons for the current power crisis.
The petition was taken up before a Bench of Supreme Court Judges Justices Gamini Amarasekera and Achala Vengappuli. The petition was filed by the Electricity and Renewable Energy Consumers Association, its chairman Mahesh Bandara Ilangasinghe and secretary Prasad Bathiya Amarakoon.
Then Energy Minister Dallas Alahapperuma, Power and Energy Ministry Secretary, Wasantha Perera, CEB and its General Manager N.W. K. Herath, the Renewable Energy Authority of Sri Lanka and others were named as the respondents in the petition.
The petitioners claim that it is possible to use solar panels mounted on the roofs of houses as renewable energy.
However, the petitioners point out that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is obstructing their applications. The CEB says it plans to launch a project to install an on-ground solar power system.
The petitioners point out that according to the agreement obtained when obtaining an electricity connection, the interest on the deposit should be paid to the customer and LECO will pay that amount but the CEB will not do so. The petitioners have complained that this is a violation of basic human rights.
The petitions seek an order directing the CEB to take steps to pay the interest to consumers as well as issue an order suspending the proposed “ground-based solar power installation” project of CEB.
Attorney Ravindranath Dabare appeared for the petitioners.