Fact Check
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara claims that 56% of the country’s electricity is currently generated from hydropower suggesting that there is greater potential for tariff reductions. This claim was made in the broader context of the MP questioning the incumbent government’s commitment to its pre-election promise of reducing electricity tariffs.
To evaluate the claim, FactCheck.lk consulted the Monthly Economic Indicator and Weekly Economic Indicator published by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
Hydropower generation fluctuates on a monthly basis. Exhibit 1 shows that December typically has a high level of hydropower generation, while the average hydropower contribution to the total annual electricity generation is much lower. From January to November 2024, the contribution from Hydropower averaged only 32% (see Exhibit 2).
The MP’s quoted figure of 56% aligns with the hydropower contribution to total electricity generation in December 2024, which was 59% (see Additional Note). However, for reasons set out above, it is inaccurate to generalise the approximately correct generation for December as indicative of the capacity to produce cheaper power generation throughout the year—as implied by the MP in the context of his statement and his use of the term “currently”.
Therefore, we classify the MP’s claim as PARTLY TRUE.
Additional Note – Figures for December 2024 were calculated using the daily figures provided in the Central Bank Weekly Indicators since the monthly figure hasn’t been published yet.
Exhibit 1: Month-on-month trends in hydrogeneration as a share of total generation (2019-2024)
*Figures for December 2024 were calculated using the daily figures provided in the Central Bank Weekly Indicators since the monthly figure hasn’t been published yet
Exhibit 2: Annual hydropower generation as a percentage of total generation (2019-2024)
