President urges EV owners to recharge their vehicles during daytime

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has made a special request from electric vehicle owners considering the prevailing energy situation in the country.

Accordingly, the owners of electric vehicles have been urged to recharge their vehicles during the daytime to reduce the daily high electricity demand between 6.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m.

President Dissanayake made this assertion while addressing a special press conference concerning the current situation in Sri Lanka.

The President noted that there is no immediate need for power cuts in the country.

President Dissanayake said according to the current plans put forward by authorities, power cuts are not scheduled.

However, officials have cautioned that the unpredictable conditions of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East make it impossible for anyone to definitively determine future limits.

For now, under the existing schedule, there will be no power outages—but any future decisions will depend on how the scope and intensity of the conflict evolve, the President said.

Authorities have highlighted that the peak electricity demand in the country occurs between 6:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. The increase in electric vehicle usage has contributed significantly to the demand, as many vehicle owners charge their vehicles during these evening hours. This has added roughly 300 megawatts to the electricity load during the peak period compared to previous years.

Therefore, officials have urged electric vehicle owners to shift charging to daytime hours, when excess electricity is available, to help balance the grid.

Meanwhile, in a bid to improve energy management, the government is scheduled to introduce smart meters. A tender for the supply has already been issued. Once installed, the smart meters will enable a dual pricing system: one rate for daytime usage and another for the 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. evening peak.

The goal is to incentivize higher electricity consumption during daytime hours, reducing stress on the grid during the evening peak.

Meanwhile, addressing during the press conference, the President also noted that much of the country’s solar-generated electricity is used immediately, as storage facilities are limited.

Daytime electricity cannot always be fully consumed at the time it is produced, leading to a surplus, the President noted.

The introduction of smart meters and time-based pricing is expected to optimize electricity usage, ensuring better distribution and reducing unnecessary pressure on the power network during peak hours, according to the President.

Meanwhile, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also noted that Sri Lanka’s fuel, gas and coal supply will have a major bearing owing to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

President Dissanayake said accordingly the present government has already appointed a surveillance committee to monitor the developments and its impact on Sri Lanka.

The President also confirmed that temporary permits have been issued to US dollar-denominated businesses to import fuel and sell them to the tourism and export sectors from tomorrow.