Sri Lanka asks electric vehicle owners to unplug at night

Electric cars were adding an extra 300 megawatts of demand at night, straining the grid, said the Sri Lankan President. - Photo: AFP

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has urged electric vehicle (EV) owners to stop charging their cars at night, saying the surge in demand is forcing the country to burn more coal and diesel to keep the power grid running.

In an address to the nation, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said electric cars were adding an extra 300 megawatts of demand at night, straining the grid.