Sri Lanka June power generation, diesel sales up in June

Oct 26, 2009 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's power generation was up 0.

2 percent in June, from a year earlier, changing a tend of falling output in previous months, the latest official data showed.

In the 6-months to June diesel sales were up 4.4 percent from a year earlier 883,000 metric tonnes, petrol up 3.

4 percent to 271,000 tonnes, but kerosene was down 5.2 percent to 73,000 tonnes.

Increased use of energy indicates more economic activity.

Sri Lanka's power generation fell 3.6 percent in May and 2.2 percent in April.

Power generated by state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) hydro plants fell 14.

1 percent to 817 GigaWatt hours or millions of units thermal 8.

2 percent to 146 GWh. The generation of thermal energy depends on rainfall.

Private sector generation was up 18.5 percent to 385 GWh.

In the 6-months to June generation was still down 3.5 percent from a year earlier to 4,790 GWh.

In June auto diesel sales, which is partly driven by power thermal power generation rose 36.

9 percent to 152,000 metric tonnes.

Petrol, which is mostly used for private transport sales were up 15.

0 percent to 46,000 metric tonnes.

Sales of kerosene, used in fishing and agric