Data indicates Sri Lankan’s daily electricity usage insufficient to run an AC-By Arundathie Abeysinghe
According to a recent analysis by Our World in Data (published by UK-based Global Change Data Lab), led by researcher Hannah Ritchie, the average person’s daily household electricity usage would actually stretch, if it were spent entirely on running an air conditioner. A typical single-room air conditioner draws around 1,000 watt-hours in an hour of use. For majority of Sri Lankan households, despite extreme weather conditions, it is not possible to maintain an air conditioner or use fans as the electricity use is very expensive. As temperatures across the island continue to rise sharply, that gap is becoming harder to ignore.
According to scholars, Sri Lanka’s figure is approximately 39 minutes, whereas in many South Asian countries, the figure differs. In India it is 44 minutes and in Pakistan it is 37 minutes. When temperatures increase to 34 or 35 degrees in Colombo, Polonnaruwa or Anuradhapura, people need to use an air conditioner, yet, majority are unable to do so. At times, people are also unable to use fans.
In majority of houses in these areas, a basic equipment such as an electric fan is not guaranteed, although, running a standard fan for a full day requires far less power than an air conditioner. Currently, using an air conditioner has become “a luxury”, instead of a necessity.
Senior electrical engineering academics are of the view that “currently, owning an air conditioner is not as expensive as it once was, although, running one is costly. According to the current Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) tariff schedule, a single unit of electricity costs Rs. 87.18, inclusive of the 2.5% Social Security Contribution Levy. For a household running an AC unit for a few hours a day, that adds up fast. According to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka’s (PUCSL) most recent tariff revision made the divide sharper. Domestic consumers using more than 180 units a month need to pay an 18% increase, while 95% of households using less than that each month, there is no change at all. Households most likely to be running an air conditioner regularly, (those crossing 180-unit mark) are consumers absorbing the increase.”
“Currently, majority of families limit cooling to a single bedroom, while some switch it on after midnight, when the CEB tariff and the day’s heat both start to ease, while many reserve it for an elderly parent or a child, while majority use a fan or open a window. For majority of households, there is no AC.”
According to scholars “as concrete stores warmth through the day and releases it slowly after dark and glass facades reflect heat onto the street, instead of absorbing it, there is extremely hot weather at night. Tree cover in many parts of Colombo has also diminished over the years, taking natural shade with it. Hence, by evening, roads and pavements in the city continue radiating heat long after the sun has set. Those who step off an air-conditioned office, feel the heat worse than others,”
“Extreme heat is unpleasant and prolonged exposure can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and, in severe cases, heat stroke, while elderly, young children, and people who work outdoors face the greatest risk. Sustained heat exposure also disrupt sleep and leads to higher rates of chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular and kidney disease. Access to a cooler environment, at least some hours of the day, measurably reduces those risks. Meanwhile, the cooling system of the body is effectively switched off even as it keeps working overtime, that is why a 32°C-day with heavy humidity can feel almost closer to 39°C.”
