State-run Electricity Distribution Lanka (EDL) said engineers were working to fix a fault affecting the entire grid, and suspected excess solar power had caused the breakdown. (EPA Images pic)COLOMBO: Sri Lanka suffered a nationwide electricity blackout on Saturday after the national grid tripped, possibly because solar power generation exceeded consumption, officials said.

The country was without grid power for more than two hours, with no clear timeline for when electricity would be restored.

State-run Electricity Distribution Lanka (EDL) said engineers were working to fix a fault affecting the entire grid, and suspected excess solar power had caused the breakdown.

Energy minister Anura Karunathilaka said authorities hoped to restore supplies "stage by stage".