economic consequences

Burundi: Burundi faces unprecedented energy crisis

For several weeks now, Burundi has been facing an un precedented energy crisis, which slowed down the country's economic activities, a ccording to officials of the National Water and Electricity Production and Distr i bution Board (REGIDESO).

They blamed the situation on a combination of several situational and structural factors, including higher demand, the run-down state of equipment and drought.

Chile: Chile redoubles effort to boost gas supply for its south

The shortage of gas required to run the plants has driven Methanex to explore unconventional methods to find fuel for its underused methanol plants. Last month Methanex revealed it was looking to develop a wind farm to power its methanol production plants -- but also, analysts said, to enhance its green credentials.

Although current plans for increased gas production
are mainly concerned with providing fuel for the methanol plants, officials said the overall oil and gas development strategy was to make more gas supplies available for economic development in the region.

Enap said its experts were "convinced" that "there is plenty of gas in the region" that can help Chile overcome its chronic shortages.

India: Kerala facing power shortage : Govt says no curbs on consumption

Kerala government on Tuesday said the state faced a sharp demand and supply gap in electricity but it expressed confidence
that the situation can be managed without any curbs on power consumption.

The total generation potential, mostly from hydel sources, was just enough to meet the demand for 200 days, state power minister A K Balan told the State Assembly.

The situation could become worse if the North East monsoon failed, he said.

However, the government has no intention to impose any restrictions on power consumption and an action plan to manage the situation had already been worked out, the minister informed the House during question hour.

Pakistan: Power breakdowns continue across country

Power crisis continues across the country and four to six hour load shedding is being undertaken in all cities including Lahore, while shortfall has been registered upto 2500-3000 megawatts.

According to Pakistan Electric Power Company (Private) Limited (PEPCO) officials, load shedding is not being enforced during Sehri, Iftar and Tarweeh.

In Lahore markets have been exempted from load shedding during nights, whereas four hour load shedding has been scheduled for the industrial zone.

Officials claim power demand has increased with the rising mercury and load shedding duration may also go up if hot weather persists.

Pakistan: Load shedding ruins Eid season for tailors

Load shedding of 12 hours in upper Sindh has affected Eid Celebrations.

Tailors are the worst hit. It is this time of the year that tailors do roaring business and earnings surge by 40 to 60 per cent as compared to other months.

However, prolonged power shutdowns have ruined the business of tailors. They would not be able to deliver new clothes to their customers to wear for Eid prayers: the highlight of the fasting month of Ramazan and festive Eid.

Tailors of Khairpur say the government should invest in power generation and cut its own luxury spending, publicity expenses, and perks of public representatives.

Tailors say they are sewing only four to five shalwar kameez suits per day as compared to Eid run of almost 15 suits per day.

They have long abandoned the manual sewing machines using handles and paddles. In the last twenty years the manual machine has completely disappeared from tailor shops that are now using electric powered sewing machines.

India: 'We hardly get 5-6 hours of electricity '

The weavers associated with Purvanchal Bunkar Morcha held a Bunkar Panchayat at Madarsa Faizul Uloom, Lohta, on Wednesday, to protest against excessive power cut in the weaver dominated area.

It was decided in the panchayat that a delegation of weavers would call on the divisional commissioner on Thursday to apprise him of the problems being faced by the weavers due to power shortage.

"We are hardly getting 5-6 hours electricity supply in Lohta, the hub of power loom industry, and adjoining areas," said Shamim Nomani, the convener of PBM. According to him, there are over 4000 units of power looms, alone in Lohta village, that give employment to the many weavers of the neighbouring villages. About 16000 weavers are directly engaged on power looms in two shifts.

Mozambique: Maputo Hit By Fuel Shortage

The city of Maputo is once again being hit by disruption of fuel supplies, mainly petrol, which is the main reason behind long queues in most filling stations in the capital.

On Monday, long queues and confusion were the main features in most of the filling stations around Maputo, mainly from the state owned fuel company "Petromoc" that still had some stocks of fuel.

However, even Petromoc that responded by increasing supplies to its filling stations, was selling under some restriction, reports Tuesday's issue of the daily "O País".

South Africa: Eskom shortfall worries analysts

Electricity parastatal Eskom has put five projects, worth more than R54 billion, on hold as a result of its funding shortfall, Business Report said today.

This raised the threat of future power crises, the newspaper said.

It quoted Cornelis van der Waal, a Frost & Sullivan energy analyst, as saying the project halts would reduce Eskom’s spending, deepen South Africa’s recession, cut opportunities in employment creation, and affect suppliers of cement, steel and other commodities.

Van der Waal said the cautious spending was aimed at helping Eskom focus on its priority projects.

Syria: Syria Faces Electricity Shortage

From an abundance of electricity in 2000 to a shortage in 2009, mismanagement and subsidies have taken their toll on Syrian electricity.

Syrian will have to get use to more rolling blackouts within the coming years due to a lack of power production capabilities.

The current shortage of 1,000 megawatts (MW) is expected to grow to 1,400 MW in 2011 according a report by the official daily Ath Thawra.

"There has never been an abundance in Syria, it was able to produce enough electricity to cover its needs but for many years there has been a shortage of electricity in Syria," Jihad al-Yaziji, publisher of the Syria Report business newsletter, told The Media Line.

Vietnam: Viet Nam faces severe power shortage for next few years

Viet Nam imported about 2.2 billions kWh of electricity from China in the first seven months of this year, 13.2 per cent more than in the same period last year, according to Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN).

EVN said the country is facing a severe power shortage of about 1,400MW or 10 per cent of total capacity at rush hours.

Its experts have also forecast the shortage will persist over the next few years. Breakdowns at electrical plants nation-wide, as well as the delayed operation of new plants have been blamed for the shortage.