Power outages still occur despite official inauguration

25 February 2015 — The supply of electricity in Hakha and its surrounding towns of Chin State is not regular even after a recent official inauguration of a new power station.

Khin Maung Soe, Union minister of Electric Power, opened the ceremony of the Hakha power station on 20 February during his visit, together with President Thein Sein, to the capital.

However, power outages are still occuring during the day for hours after the president and his entourage had left Burma’s western State.

Pu Sui, a Hakha elder, said: “We hear that the electric department is changing the cables. But they should inform the public so we can prepare in advance.”

Meanwhile, the Global New Light of Myanmar on 22 February said that the two townships of Hakha and Thangtlang had received a 24-hour electricity from the national grid.

Khin Maung Soe also said that power lines, small scale hydro-power stations and sub-power stations had been constructed in Falam, Mindat, Matupi, Kanpetlet, Tedim and Tonzang townships as well as Rih sub-township.

Pi Tin Tin told the Chinland Guardian: “It is great that we have electricity. But its irregularity is a big problem. Sometimes, it goes off in the morning while we are cooking rice. It will be cut off at night when our children are studying. This has got to be sorted out properly.”

Despite having several energy sources for generating electricity, Burma stands at the lowest in the table of electrification rate in Southeast Asia, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.#