Sri Lanka power output, diesel sales down in April

July 12, 2009 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's electricity generation in April 2009 fell 2.2 percent to 773 million units (GigaWatt hours) from a year earlier, while diesel sales were down 10.7 percent, the latest government figures showed.

Sri Lanka's economic growth slowed to 1.

5 percent in the first quarter of 2009 from 6.2 a year earlier and 4.3 percent in the December 2008 quarter, according to estimates released by the government's statistics office.

After a slow second quarter, the Central Bank is expecting an upturn in the second and fourth quarters.

In the past electricity sales have tended to grow at twice the rate of economic growth.

There was a steep rise in thermal power production at state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to 229GWh from 141, according to central bank data. Private sector power generation also increased to 340GWh in the month from 205GWh last year.

In the four months to April electricity generation was down 4.4 percent to 3,137 GWh, and CEB hydro generation was down 35.

9 percent to 787GWh. Private sector generation was up 22.

2 percent to 1,527GWh.

Energy generation does not correspond to actual sales due to losses in transmission.

In recent years, the CEB has been steadily reduc