Stock Exchange comes to a standstill due to Power Cut

Trading at the Colombo Stock Exchange had to be halted this morning due to the power cut which affected the World Trade Centre.

Trade stopped at 9.57 am at the CSE. Trading recommenced at around 10.15 a.m.

Generators at the WTC were also not properly working, increasing the difficulties for the office workers and others in the building. Only the service life and two other elevators were functioning in the 37-storied towers.

Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said the power supply will be brought back to normal by tomorrow morning with the recommencement of operations at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant. The minister said the failure of the Norochcholai power plant was not due to a breakdown but caused by an automatic mechanism introduced for its protection, at such a breakdown elsewhere.