"At the moment about 85 percent of the households have power."

He said about 2.0 percent of the households were powered by off-grid solutions like solar power.

Most of Sri Lanka's power is distributed by state-run Ceylon Electricity Board. But on a belt along the highly populated Western province power is distributed by another state run firm, Lanka Electricity Company.

Minister Ranawaka said off-grid solutions may have to be found for about 6.0 percent of households especially those living in remote hilly areas where the grid could not be extended.

Though most of the urban areas are lighted up, power has not been distributed to some rural areas.

"Over the next two year 4593 rural electrification schemes have been planned," power ministry secretary M M C Ferdinando said.

"These will be built by the CEB with in house engineers. So the cost will be mainly to buy goods."

The utility was also extending its distribution to the former war torn north and east where people are now being resettled.

A 106 million dollar credit was due from Iran. The utility had got 36 million US dollars in credit for the north and for Amparai in the East a 25 million US dollars credit has been obtained from the Asian Development Bank.

China's Exim bank was giving another 60 million US dollars to re-build the network in Batticaloa and Trincomalee in the East, Ferdinando said.

For the north central province, a 53 million US dollar credit had been lined up, he said.

About 5.0 billion rupees in local financing (43 million US dollars) has been lined up for projects in the Southern and Western provinces, he said.