The CEB Engineers union claims 10-hour power cuts after 31 December is a possibility as stocks of coal have depleted. The union says this will lead to the Norochcholai 'Lakvijaya' power plant being brought to a complete halt resulting in lengthy power outages across the country. 

According to the President of the Union, Nihal Weeraratne, the power plant provides 45 per cent of the electricity needed and therefore the power cuts could even go over 10 hours. 

Weeraratne said water levels of hydropower plants have reduced to 75 per cent and due to the uncertainty of the levels increasing in the next couple of months, the situation may even bring the country to a complete halt.