Rangoon reels under severe power cuts

Friday, 02 April 2010 19:41 Myo Thein, Phanida

Rangoon, Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Rangoon has been reeling from severe bouts of power cuts with consumers getting a daily supply of a meagre two hours a day last week.
The power cuts in Rangoon follows repair work on the natural gas pipeline of the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise.

“We receive electricity for only about two hours a day. At times power is restored for just three minutes and goes again. Sometimes it is restored for just 10 minutes. Sometimes power is supplied at midnight for about 10-15 minutes,” a local resident said.

Electricity is supplied to Rangoon from gas turbines in Thaketa, Ywama, Hlawga, Ahlone power plants and Lawpita hydro power station. But these power stations do not operate to full capacity leading to severe shortage in Rangoon.

Conveniently the Ministry of Energy never discloses the actual power situation in the country.

The Tanintharyi-Rangoon gas pipeline leaks frequently, affecting production from the gas turbines. So, the new gas pipeline of the Gulf of Martaban-Rangoon is being built starting from Daw Nyein village in Pyapon Township. The Ministry of Energy has announced that the new gas pipeline will be completed next month.

Power shortage in Rangoon is resulting in severe water shortage.

“We wait for electricity to be restored to operate our pumps even at night. Every flat operates pumps simultaneously so the higher flats do not get water,” a local resident said.

Water is not available even for cooking so residents have to use bottled drinking water for preparing their meals with the result that the high demand for bottles has pushed up prices, a housewife from Lanmadaw Township said.

The normal price of a 20-litre bottle of drinking water is Kyat 500 to 600 home delivered to higher floors but now it is Kyat 800 to 900.

For downtown residents in Rangoon, the water comes from reservoirs in Nga Moe Yeik, Hlawga and Phu Gyi but most residents in suburban areas rely on tube wells.

According to the 2008 April census, Rangoon’s population is over six million and the demand for power was 400 MW but now it has risen to over 500 MW given the increase in the number of industries and rising consumption due to use of home electrical appliances.