Nationwide Blackout Hits Sri Lanka; Officials Suspect Too Much Solar Power

Sri Lanka suffered a nationwide blackout on Saturday. The national grid tripped around noon, and engineers restored power in stages over about six hours.

The National System Operator said instability caused a total system failure in the transmission network. Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said the likely culprit was excess solar power: generation outpaced demand on a bright Saturday, and the grid could not absorb the surplus.

He asked owners of rooftop solar systems to disconnect until further notice, to help engineers rebalance and restore the network. State-run Electricity Distribution Lanka said it suspected the excess supply had tripped the system.

The numbers explain the problem. Sri Lanka has just over 3,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity, but daytime demand runs only 2,000 to 2,500 megawatts. Tax concessions have pushed consumers to install panels and sell their surplus back to the grid, creating imbalances the utility has struggled to manage.

This was not the first time. The entire grid shut down in February 2025 under the same conditions: a sunny Sunday, solar output above demand. Restoring power took more than six hours.

The government still plans to grow solar capacity to about 4,400 megawatts within three years, a 388 percent increase from 2024, officials said.

Another suspect also surfaced. The state power entity said a breakdown at the Upper Kotmale hydroelectric station in the central hill country, detected a day earlier, may have contributed to the failure.

The blackout disrupted water supplies, internet service, and mobile networks while power was out. Hospitals ran on backup generators. Power was fully restored by Saturday evening.