Sri Lanka's Solar Shutdown to Prevent Holiday Blackout

Sri Lanka's state power authority has requested all rooftop solar power generators to switch off their systems during the national New Year holiday to prevent a potential island-wide blackout. The measure aims to balance low electricity demand with high solar energy input.

Sri Lanka's state power entity has called upon all rooftop solar power generators to voluntarily shut down their systems from Sunday until April 21. This move is intended to prevent an island-wide blackout during the ongoing national New Year holiday, according to an official statement.

The voluntary switch-off is necessary to manage an imbalance in the power systems caused by unusually low daytime electricity demand paired with a substantial contribution of variable renewable energy (VRE). The present situation, characterized by extended holidays and sunny weather, has led to historically low electricity demand, creating undue stress on the national grid.

The statement highlighted that grid inertia has been critically reduced, making the system susceptible to unexpected disruptions. Even minor fluctuations could result in partial outages or trigger a nationwide blackout. Previously, on February 9, a similar imbalance resulted in a complete blackout across the island due to a surge in solar generation that exceeded demand.

(With inputs from agencies.)