We don’t know how comforting this news is, but Yangon authorities state that in spite of common misconceptions, the recent power cuts in several townships across the city aren’t because of a shortage in power supply. Rather, it’s because the people whose job it is to ensure everyone’s getting electricity, well, aren’t.
The city’s electricity consumption currently stands at around 1350 MW, but officials estimate that there will be a 500 MW increase within the next year. Just last month, the Hluttaw granted President Htin Kyaw’s request to allocate MMK30 billion from the presidential reserve fund towards fulfilling Yangon’s steadily increasing electricity demand. But despite the newfound cash, citizens have still been experiencing blackouts this summer, so what gives?
Speaking to Mizzima, Nay Myo Htet, a member of the Yangon Electricity and Energy Development Committee, explained: “The power cuts that took place last year were because there wasn’t enough power. For instance, say the city of Yangon uses 1500 MW; because we could only produce 1300 MW, there wasn’t enough energy for the entire city. This year, that’s not the problem. From what we’ve heard, the blackouts are because the [affected] townships are experiencing electrical problems.” Uh, okay?
Nay Myo Htet also stated that authorities had been working with private energy firms and had begun designating specific areas to specific companies.
“Some townships were distributed to private companies, so the companies are also responsible as to the quality and reliability of the electricity supply [in these townships],” Nay Myo Htet ‘explained.’ Of course, nothing was said about if/what the Yangon regional government is doing to help or prompt these companies to fix the problems.
TLDR; bad news is that the government is basically shrugging off the fact that citizens are still experiencing power cuts, despite receiving K30 billion in funding to prevent exactly that. Good news is, well, um… we’ll get back to you on that one.
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