By Yoon Sat - Dec 07, 2024
Most townships in Yangon Region are reportedly under a schedule of four hours of electricity supply followed by four hours of power cuts. However, electricity electricity bills have been increased up to three times the previous rates.
Despite the higher meter fees, electricity supply has worsened compared to before, with households receiving a maximum of only three hours of electricity per day. In some townships, electricity is available for only 30 minutes at a time, while the total daily supply ranges from two to three hours, according to local residents.
“For the past few days, the situation has been terrible with no regular electricity. Previously, when they said there would be four hours on and four hours off, it was inconvenient, but at least we could plan and prepare meals during the supply hours. But now, for the past three to four days, power that was supposed to come on at 8:00 PM is delayed until after 10:00 PM. For us, we have to wake up at 4:00 AM to prepare food and head to the factory. We can’t cook when the power cuts off at 4:00 AM, so we’ve had to buy meals for the past two days. The next day, the electricity went out again while the rice pot was on even though I woke up at 3:00 AM to prepare, so we had to buy food again. With our wages, we won’t be able to pay rent or household expenses if we keep buying meals like this,” said a worker from Industrial Zone 2 in Dagon Myothit (South).
Not only Yangon Region but other states and regions have also experienced increasing electricity outages, creating significant challenges for low-wage workers.
“Electricity availability has noticeably decreased in Bago Region as well. There’s never power during meal preparation times, so we’ve had to use gas or firewood. This is a serious problem for daily workers who have to bring packed lunches to work. Mistakes and struggles are happening everywhere,” said a resident of Bago Region.
“For us factory workers, the highest salaries are around 300,000 kyats, but usually, it’s only over 200,000 kyats. With power cuts forcing us to buy food frequently, we’re barely getting by. During the day, the power comes for only half an hour at most. People even have to go to shops to charge their phones. Meanwhile, electricity bills have tripled, so we’re paying more for electricity while rent prices are also rising. The consequences of these power cuts are devastating. While business owners might take a hit, it’s the daily workers who live hand-to-mouth that will face severe hunger,” said a factory worker from Thilawa Industrial Zone.
Electricity supply schedules have reportedly been inconsistent, with afternoon power supply from 1:00 PM to around 3:00 PM being cut again before 5:00 PM. Evening power, scheduled for 9:00 PM, often only comes on closer to 11:00 PM, and it cuts off again at 3:00 AM, leaving no electricity until the following afternoon. Such erratic supply has made life harder not only for low-income workers but also for others in lower socioeconomic tiers. Many are now paying between 2,200 to 2,500 kyats per bag of charcoal as an alternative, while time constraints exacerbate their challenges.
The electricity cuts have also affected factories, where outages last longer, similar to residential areas. This has forced some businesses to scale down operations, put orders on hold, or give daily wage workers temporary leave, further worsening the situation for employees.
“Our operations have been entirely halted. It’s impossible to continue with the extended power outages. So, we’ve had to temporarily reduce work. Orders are on hold. For the critical tasks, we work with fewer staff. But for daily wage workers, we’ve had to put them on leave. For example, operations at Dagon South have been paused, and workers were sent to the port instead. That’s how we’re managing,” said a business owner operating a steel cutting and processing business in Industrial Zone 2 in Dagon Myothit (South).
The military council has increased electricity bills by two to three times, yet electricity availability has worsened compared to before. Inconsistent electricity supply and frequent outages without a proper schedule have left residents in some Yangon townships with a total daily electricity supply of no more than six hours, according to residents.
On December 6, the highest electricity production was reported at 2,273.5 megawatts, while the total daily production amounted to 47,309.7 megawatt-hours, according to a statement from the Ministry of Electric Power under the military council.
