MADAGASCAR: Severe power shortage in Madagascar due to poor rains, old infrastructure and rising fuel prices takes its toll on businesses in the world's fourth largest island

Record ID: 515491

  • Title: MADAGASCAR: Severe power shortage in Madagascar due to poor rains, old infrastructure and rising fuel prices takes its toll on businesses in the world's fourth largest island
  • Date: 25th November 2011
  • Summary: STREET SCENE VARIOUS OF MADAGASCAR'S STATE ENERGY COMPANY JIRAMA VARIOUS OF MANDRAKA HYDRAULIC CENTER, WHICH IS DRYING UP (SOUNDBITE) (Malagasy) FENO RANDRIANARISON , HEAD OF COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT, JIRAMA SAYING: "It happened in 1976, as well as 1985 and in 2000. At the moment, it is happening again because of the degradation of the environment. It's much harder this time around, in 2011. The only solution to fight against the drought is to put in place artificial rain." VARIOUS OF THE MANDRAKA HYDRAULIC CENTRE/ DAM (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAMY RAKOTONDRAINTSIMBA, HEAD OF HYDRAULIC CENTER OF MANDRAKA SAYING: "At the moment, the most we get in this reserve is 39 million cube meters of water, which is the maximum that we get get, meaning that we can no longer rely on this center to generate power. So power cuts will intensify in the city of Antananarivo." MORE OF HYDRAULIC CENTRAL OF MANDRAKA
  • Embargoed: 10th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Madagascar, Madagascar
  • Country: Madagascar
  • Topics: Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA30NRN1S5145O9MS1RY9Q9WQPK
  • Story Text: Constant power cuts brought on by poor rains, rising fuel prices and a general dilapidation of electricity generating infrastructure in Madagascar are taking a heavy toll on businesses in the capital Antananarivo.
    Residents make do with candles, as the state's ailing energy company, Jirama struggles to cope with demand to generate power for the world's fourth biggest Island.
    Power crises are hardly unique in Madagascar and have sparked violent protests in the past.
    Even when the power is on, only 15 percent of Malagasies have access to it - a figure that the government wants to increase but lacks the means to do so.
    Madagascar businesses have experienced heavy losses on the back of the power shortage.
    "We are forced to close early. We usually close at around 6:30 pm, but because of the constant power cuts, we now close at 5:00 pm, because it's dark, and customers do not want to come in because they can't see anything in the dark. Otherwise, we use ice to to keep the fish fresh, but when there is no power, the ice machine stops functioning and going on and off also spoils the machine," said fishmonger Rajaonarisoa Malalatiana.
    Many on the streets of Antananarivo are frustrated with the ongoing power outages, which can last hours during the day and at night.
    "We have had enough of the constant power cuts. We really can't do much without electricity, and on top of that, it's also damaging to our appliances," said Antananarivo resident, Rasamimanana Tatiana, an Antananarivo resident.
    Madagascar has a history of suffering from severe power cuts, mainly due to poor infrastructure and debts of the state's energy company, Jirama, which over the years has been compounded by unpredictable fuel prices and low water levels due to climate change.
    Feno Randrianarison, head of communications at Jirama says the main cause of power outage is poor rainfall that has left Madagascar's main dams dry.
    According to Randrianarison, several measures to address the shortage have been taken, one of them being artificial rain or cloud seeding -- a form of weather modification that attempts to change the amount or type of precipitation from clouds by dispersing certain substances into the air.
    "It (power shortage) happened in 1976, as well as 1985 and in 2000. At the moment, it is happening again because of the degradation of the environment. It's much harder this time around, in 2011. The only solution to fight against the drought is to put in place artificial rain," he said.
    Madagascar has two hydroelectric dams, Andekaleka and Mandraka, with installed electricity capacity of around 58 megawatts (MW) and 24 megawatts (MW) respectively.
    It is estimated that by 2009, 63.7 percent of electricity in Madagascar was generated through hydraulic power and 36 percent was generated by fossil fuel burning plants.
    Mamy Rakotondraintsimba heads the hydraulic center of Mandraka, which partly supplies power to Antatanarivo.
    "At the moment, the most we get in this reserve is 39 million cube meters of water, which is the maximum that we get get, meaning that we can no longer rely on this center to generate power. So power cuts will intensify in the city of Antananarivo," he said.
    In 2007, the African Development Bank (AFDB) approved a 6 million Euro (8 million US dollars) investment project of the Sahanivotry Hydroelectric power station, which in part will go towards funding to enhance the installed capacity of Jirama and help the country meet its significant and growing power needs.
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