Lanka Electricity Company

The Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (Sinhala: ලංකා විදුලි (පුද්ගලික) සමාගම Lanka viduli pudgalika samagama) (also abbreviated as LECO), is one of two on-grid electricity companies in Sri Lanka; the other being the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). Established as a private limited liability company registered under the Companies Act No. 17 of 1982,[3] its shareholders are the Ceylon Electricity Board, the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Treasury and four local government authorities.[4] It is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka.[5] As of 2019, LECO sold 1,629.39 kilowatt-hours (5,865.8 MJ) of power to 588,879 consumers, and made revenues of SL Rs. 32,576,500,000.[6]

Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO)
Native name
ලංකා විදුලි (පුද්ගලික) සමාගම
இலங்கை மின்சார (தனியார்) கம்பனி
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryElectricity generation,
Electricity transmission,
Electricity distribution,
Electricity retailing
Key people
Athula Priyadharshana De Silva (chairman)[1]
RevenueIncrease Rs. 30.573 billion (2017)[2]
Decrease Rs. 737 million (2017)[2]
Increase Rs. 125 million (2017)[2]
Total assetsIncrease Rs. 41.1 billion (2017)[2]
Total equityIncrease Rs. 29.5 billion (2017)[2]
Number of employees
1,573 (2017)[2]
ParentCeylon Electricity Board[2]
Websitewww.leco.lk

History

LECO was established in 1983. President J. R. Jayewardene selected Engineer H.S. Subasinghe to lead the fledgling company.[7]

The electricity distribution networks, managed by local government authorities, had suffered from years of neglect and insufficient investments. The consequences were evident — frequent breakdowns, overloaded grids, and arduous processes for securing electricity connections for new residences.[7]

LECO took a multi-faceted approach to deal with these challenges. Old electricity lines were dismantled and new lines were designed, utilising insulated wires for safety and reliability. An innovative transition to concrete utility poles ensured that no external support structures were needed. This move not only expedited the installation process but also effectively optimised space utilisation, a critical consideration in the densely populated areas LECO operated in.[7]

Location of LECO branches across South-western Sri Lanka
Negombo
Negombo
Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Kotte
Kotte
Nugegoda
Nugegoda
Moratuwa
Moratuwa
Kalutara
Kalutara
Galle
Galle
Location of LECO branches

Branches

LECO has 7 geographical branches:[8]

  • Kotte
  • Nugegoda
  • Moratuwa
  • Kalutara
  • Kelaniya
  • Negombo
  • Galle

Microgrid

LECO partnered with the University of Moratuwa to begin a microgrid pilot project in Sri Lanka with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The aim of the project is to contribute to Sri Lanka's stated target of 70% of power generation through renewable sources by 2030. 32,411 rooftop solar units have already been installed in the country as of April 2021, with a total capacity of 367 MW.[9]

Ante LECO Metering Company

Established in 2017[10] as a joint venture with Ante Meter Company Ltd. of China, Ante LECO Metering Company is a LECO subsidiary that specializes in building household electric meters.[11] Located in Bandaragama, the factory produces 2000 smart meters daily.[12]

References
  1. "New Chairman for LECO". DailyFT. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  2. "Lanka Electricity Company 2017". Lanka Electricity Company.
  3. "Companies Act No. 17 of 1982". Act of 20 May 1982. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. "LECO". Ministry of Power. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  5. Kuruwita, Rathindra. "Now, electricity consumers entitled to interest on LECO deposits". The Island. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  6. "SUMMARY STATISTICS 2019". LECO. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  7. Siyambalapitiya, Tilak. "Simple engineer who set the benchmark for quality of electricity distribution". Sunday Times. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  8. "Supply Services Code" (PDF). leco.lk. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  9. De Silva, Narendra; Samarasinghe, Keshan (2 November 2021). "Lanka Electricity Company is gearing up Sri Lanka's clean energy target". DailyFT. Wijeya Newspaper Ltd. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  10. "Ante LECO Smart metering declared open". Daily Mirror. Wijaya Newspapers Ltd. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. "Ante LECO". LECO. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  12. "'Smart Electric Meter' introduced in SL for first time". Ceylon Daily News. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

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