Entrepreneurs in Arakan State lament economic toll of frequent power outages

By DMG 23 Jan 2022

DMG Newsroom
23 January 2022, Sittwe

Local entrepreneurs in Arakan State say daily power outages are hurting their businesses. That includes electricity-reliant commercial and industrial operations having to be slowed or stopped altogether at times, with the power outages sometimes lasting several hours. 

“Each power outage lasted about four hours, and I had to stop work for half the day,” said U Aung Myo Khaing, owner of Aye Mya May Drinking Water Factory in Sittwe. “In addition, rising fuel prices make it difficult to start the generator. Now, one litre of diesel has risen to K1,700.” 

U Aung Myo Khaing said he runs generators when power cuts occur, but only on a limited basis due to the high price of fuel. 

The price of charcoal has also risen due to the frequent and sustained power outages, increasing restaurant owners’ costs and cutting into profit margins. 

“When there was no [electricity], we had to use charcoal to cook. A bag of charcoal now costs K8,500. We have higher costs. With the price of coal rising, it is no longer profitable for us,” the owner of an eatery in Sittwe’s Bawlone Kwin ward told DMG. 

Sittwe residents say concerned officials should inform the public in advance of the daily power outages. 

“It would be convenient for us to know in advance when the power will be cut off,” said a mobile phone repair shop owner in Sittwe. “If I can tell people who come to my mobile phone repair service in advance when the electricity will come back, they will be OK. Some people have to come back because their mobile phones cannot be repaired because there is no electricity.” 

The Ministry of Electricity and Energy under Myanmar’s military regime has said the power outage situation is due to a shortage of electricity from large power plants in the country. 

The Ministry of Electricity and Energy announced on January 5 that Myanmar’s maximum power generation capacity stood at about 4,200 megawatts, but that about 750 megawatts’ worth of imported LNG to power plants had to be shut off due to a four-fold increase in gas prices.