Power outages hit Hakha and Thantlang in Chin State

26 September 2013: Residents in Hakha and Thantlang towns have experienced power outages since Tuesday owing to problems with the Laiva hydropower station.

A Thantlang local told Chinland Guardian that they had not received electricity for three days and that families without private electric generators had been in the dark.

In other bigger villages and towns in Chin State, groups of families aresupplied electricity from privately owned generators, for which a separate monthly fee is paid.

Hakha residents, who depend on government-run Laiva power, said they had been cut off from the rest of the world as they had not been able to use computers and TV, let alone cope with other effects of the blackout.

Contrary to this, the New Light of Myanmar claimed in a report today that the Laiva hydropower is generating electricity to both Thantlang and Hakha township, the latter being given priority as it is the seat of the Chin State government.

It added that the Laiva dam generates 600 kilowatts and provides power to regiments, departments, 11 wards and three villages in Hakha township and three wards and four villages in Thantlang township.

Chin MP Pu Robin raised a question about issues related to electricity supply in Thantlang at the ongoing Chin parliamentary sessions and was told that arrangements had been underway with the development of the National Power Grid.

In January this year, thousands had taken to the streets in a peaceful demonstration to demand an increase of electricity supply in the Chin capital of Hakha.#