BPC threatens extended hours of loadshedding #PowerCrisis

Patricia Edwin | Tuesday March 11, 2014 17:30

 

BPC, through their spokesperson, Spencer Moreri said Batswana will have to endure extended hours of load shedding for a while longer because the problem of power shortage, was not only confined to Botswana, but the whole Southern African region.

The power cuts, according to Moreri, may go up to 12 hours and that presently BPC is working around the clock to bring the situation to normalcy.

In the last two weeks load shedding has intensified and it seems things may be worse than 2012 when the country first experienced power cuts. “It is a sad reality but this is the situation that we are in and people have to face it and deal with it.  It is a regional problem and we are not the only ones suffering,” he said. He said that they were urging their customers to use power responsibly in response to the power shortage.

Moreri said that Morupule B is currently operating with only one unit while BPC is struggling to fix three other units.  This is so that Morupule B can help Orapa and Matshelagabedi, which can operate for only eight hours a day.

He said that supply and demand of power is not correlating because of that. “We are doing everything possible to get power supply as a short term solution,” he said. 

Moreri said that towards the end of the month of March BPC will address the public and stakeholders about the issue of power. “We will hold a consultative workshop and talk about issues of electricity,” he said.

In the meantime, power cuts have become more intense in the homes and work places.