RANGOON — Residents in Rangoon have greeted with dismay an announcement by the state-own Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE) saying electrical power will be rationed to six hours a day.
The power supply to Rangoon’s townships will be distributed on a rotation basis, said an MEPE announcement.
The MEPE, a state-owned utility, is responsible for electrical generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Burma.
An official, who asked to remain anonymous, said the electricity supply to Rangoon has to be reduced because the pipeline carrying gas from the southern Andaman sea to Rangoon power generators––near Belin city in Mon State––has been damaged by flood water.
“Belin river was flooded by heavy rain, causing pipeline damage. Repairs could take time,” he said.
In Burma, electricity supplies are sporadic at the best of times, making many of Rangoon's 5 million residents reliant on diesel-powered generators.
Nai Kyaw, 60, who lives in Bahan Towship, said, “I am very disappointed with this government. They say that they are a government. But, they never think about the people. They produce gas in the country, and they sell it to Thailand and China.”
The lack of electricity is disrupting livelihoods and affecting the economy, said Rangoon sources.
In Rangoon, the power supply is normally rotated from March to June, usually due to a lack of rainwater to power the Lawpita hydroelectric plant at full capacity. Lawpita, located 210 miles (350 kilometers) north of the capital, is one of the main sources of electricity for the capital.
Normally, in monsoon season the government can provide 24 hours of electrical power a day in Rangoon.
Rangoon’s 5 million residents need about 450 megawatts daily, according to the local journal Weekly Eleven.
The power shortage has affected everyone from noodle vendors to apartment block residents.
In many neighborhoods, brownouts occur frequently with the power as low as 150 volts, rendering most electronic appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners inoperable without voltage regulators and other specialized equipment.
The power cuts aren't new. The military regime has been distributing electricity under a rationing system for the past eight years, unable to keep up with rising demand.
Total national output of electricity is 845 megawatts, less than the installed capacity of 1,200 megawatts and short of the country's electricity needs. The power crisis is exacerbated by the draining of foreign exchange reserves needed to buy fuel and spare parts for antiquated generators.
Among the only people benefiting are entrepreneurs who sell electric generators and candles.
But the use of candles among the poor who live in wood and thatched huts makes such neighborhoods particularly vulnerable to fires. Loudspeakers on vehicles warn residents to guard against fires in their homes.
Analysts say the military government keeps much of the country’s energy supply in reserve for military purposes and emergency situations.
Many Rangoon residents say that Burma’s new capital, Naypyidaw, gets power at Rangoon’s expense.
“Even people who live far from the highway, they can get 24 hours of power supply,” said a government worker in Rangoon.
Reporter Lawi Weng contributed to this article.
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