Sri Lanka endures a nationwide power outage as grid trips amid solar surge
A total blackout swept Sri Lanka on Saturday after the national grid failed, likely due to excess solar generation, leaving the country without electricity for over two hours.
On Saturday, Sri Lanka experienced a complete loss of grid electricity for more than two hours after the national network tripped, a failure attributed to solar power generation exceeding the country's daytime demand. Electricity Distribution Lanka (EDL) dispatched engineers to address the fault that affected the whole country, and the energy ministry urged owners of rooftop solar installations to shut down their systems until further notice.
Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said power would be restored gradually. This is the second major grid collapse, the first occurring in February 2025 under similar circumstances, which required over six hours to resolve. Sri Lanka’s solar capacity now stands at just over 3,000 megawatts, while typical daytime demand ranges between 2,000 and 2,500 megawatts, creating a supply-demand imbalance. The government plans to boost solar capacity to nearly 4,400 megawatts within three years, a 388% increase from 2024.
Why it matters
The outage highlights challenges in balancing rapid solar growth with grid stability in Sri Lanka.
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