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Electricity Bills in Sri Lanka: Highest in South Asia
Sri Lankans pay 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than South Asian neighbours In 2023, Sri Lanka revised its electricity charges three times in February, July and October. The stated basis for the increase, was to recover the full cost of providing electricity. This analysis compares the electricity charges on households in Sri Lanka in December 2023 with what households are paying in other South Asian countries. Two findings emerge that justify public concern on electricity bills in Sri Lanka: 1) Sri Lanka has the highest household electricity cost of any South Asian country (see Exhibit 1, comparing against the highest cost areas of supply in other countries). 2) Sri Lankan households are paying c. 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than the average cost to their counterparts in South Asian countries (see Exhibit 2). A tariff decrease is planned in Feb 2024; this new structure would result in cost reduction in the electricity bill of around 4% or less. Therefore, it will not make a dent in Sri Lanka occupying the position of paying the highest prices for electricity in the region at a multiple of 2.5 to 3 times of what is paid by households in South Asia. The analysis is based on comparing households that consume between 100 to 300 units of electricity per month on single-phase lines (excluding any government taxation on electricity). Exhibit 2 shows that consuming 100 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 5,280, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 2,078. Consuming 300 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 21,860, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 7,340. Exhibit 1:
Featured Insight
Electricity Bills in Sri Lanka: Highest in South Asia
Sri Lankans pay 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than South Asian neighbours In 2023, Sri Lanka revised its electricity charges three times in February, July and October. The stated basis for the increase, was to recover the full cost of providing electricity. This analysis compares the electricity charges on households in Sri Lanka in December 2023 with what households are paying in other South Asian countries. Two findings emerge that justify public concern on electricity bills in Sri Lanka: 1) Sri Lanka has the highest household electricity cost of any South Asian country (see Exhibit 1, comparing against the highest cost areas of supply in other countries). 2) Sri Lankan households are paying c. 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than the average cost to their counterparts in South Asian countries (see Exhibit 2). A tariff decrease is planned in Feb 2024; this new structure would result in cost reduction in the electricity bill of around 4% or less. Therefore, it will not make a dent in Sri Lanka occupying the position of paying the highest prices for electricity in the region at a multiple of 2.5 to 3 times of what is paid by households in South Asia. The analysis is based on comparing households that consume between 100 to 300 units of electricity per month on single-phase lines (excluding any government taxation on electricity). Exhibit 2 shows that consuming 100 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 5,280, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 2,078. Consuming 300 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 21,860, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 7,340. Exhibit 1:
Featured Insight
Electricity Bills in Sri Lanka: Highest in South Asia
Sri Lankans pay 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than South Asian neighbours In 2023, Sri Lanka revised its electricity charges three times in February, July and October. The stated basis for the increase, was to recover the full cost of providing electricity. This analysis compares the electricity charges on households in Sri Lanka in December 2023 with what households are paying in other South Asian countries. Two findings emerge that justify public concern on electricity bills in Sri Lanka: 1) Sri Lanka has the highest household electricity cost of any South Asian country (see Exhibit 1, comparing against the highest cost areas of supply in other countries). 2) Sri Lankan households are paying c. 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than the average cost to their counterparts in South Asian countries (see Exhibit 2). A tariff decrease is planned in Feb 2024; this new structure would result in cost reduction in the electricity bill of around 4% or less. Therefore, it will not make a dent in Sri Lanka occupying the position of paying the highest prices for electricity in the region at a multiple of 2.5 to 3 times of what is paid by households in South Asia. The analysis is based on comparing households that consume between 100 to 300 units of electricity per month on single-phase lines (excluding any government taxation on electricity). Exhibit 2 shows that consuming 100 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 5,280, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 2,078. Consuming 300 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 21,860, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 7,340. Exhibit 1:
Featured Insight
Electricity Bills in Sri Lanka: Highest in South Asia
Sri Lankans pay 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than South Asian neighbours In 2023, Sri Lanka revised its electricity charges three times in February, July and October. The stated basis for the increase, was to recover the full cost of providing electricity. This analysis compares the electricity charges on households in Sri Lanka in December 2023 with what households are paying in other South Asian countries. Two findings emerge that justify public concern on electricity bills in Sri Lanka: 1) Sri Lanka has the highest household electricity cost of any South Asian country (see Exhibit 1, comparing against the highest cost areas of supply in other countries). 2) Sri Lankan households are paying c. 2.5 to 3 times more for electricity than the average cost to their counterparts in South Asian countries (see Exhibit 2). A tariff decrease is planned in Feb 2024; this new structure would result in cost reduction in the electricity bill of around 4% or less. Therefore, it will not make a dent in Sri Lanka occupying the position of paying the highest prices for electricity in the region at a multiple of 2.5 to 3 times of what is paid by households in South Asia. The analysis is based on comparing households that consume between 100 to 300 units of electricity per month on single-phase lines (excluding any government taxation on electricity). Exhibit 2 shows that consuming 100 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 5,280, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 2,078. Consuming 300 units in Sri Lanka costs LKR 21,860, while the average for South Asia is equivalent to LKR 7,340. Exhibit 1:
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Revenue
Revenue
Insights and analysis of government revenue.
Sri Lanka's Unique Revenue Problem
Tax to GDP and GDP per capita for most South Asian countries shows a positive relationship as can be show by the infographic below. For example Bhutan had a tax to GDP of 10% in and GDP per capita of 4% in the year 2000....
From The PF Wire
Source:
Daily Mirror
Tax concessions lead to Rs 978 bn foregone revenue...
In the fiscal year 2022/23, Sri Lanka's government disclosed a significant foregone revenue of LKR 978 billion, representing 56% of the total tax revenue, due to tax concessions. PublicFinance.lk, a leading economic insights platform mai...
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Source:
Economy Next
Sri Lanka budget 2023, key tax changes
Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced tax changes in an effort to boost revenues and also make external trade easier, according to a budget presented for 2023.
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Source:
Daily Mirror
Govt. removes tax on milk powder imports
The Cabinet of Ministers this week reached a decision to remove all import taxes on milk powder to resume milk powder imports to the country while maintaining the controlled prices unchanged in the local market.
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Insight on Revenue
Decline in government revenue for 2020
According to the Central Bank Annual Report for 2020, government reven...
Taxes on Motor Vehicle Imports
Last year the government placed import restrictions on motor vehicles. How did this aff...
Deviation of Actual vs. Estimated Revenu...
The Fiscal Management Report released recently shows that Tax Revenue between Jan – Aug 202...
Summary of Fiscal Indicators, 1950 to 20...
The following chart displays the government revenue and expenditure...
Government Revenue in 2020 – Not Suffici...
According to the Ministry of Finance, government revenue is expected t...
Tax Impacts of Import Restrictions
Between Apr...
2020 Mid-year Fiscal Performance
Latest figures released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka show that rev...
Sri Lanka’s Fiscal Performance (2020 vs...
The latest figures released by the Ministry of Finance show that the f...
Sri Lanka’s already lagging Tax to GDP r...
Sri Lanka’s Tax/GDP ratio has been declining with further declin...
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Featured
Will the Increase in Cigarette Taxes Meet Budgeted...
On the 1st of Jan 2023, the government increased excises taxes on cigarettes by 20% as follows: Size Old Excise Tax per Cigarette New Excise Tax per Cigarette...
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Interim Budget or Secret Budget?
24 expenditure proposals and 5 regulatory proposals were tracked in this assessment. Expenditure proposals refer to those proposals that involve capital expenditure by the government distributed across ministries etc. Regulatory proposals re...
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Sectoral Allocations: Budget 2024
Sectoral allocations from the 2024 Budget.Allocations above only include Central Government allocations. Provincial allocations are not included...
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