MDP condemns frequent power interruptions in Malé

The ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned frequent power interruptions in Malé and has claimed the interruptions resulted from two foreign companies involved in power upgrade withdrawing from the Maldives after the controversial transfer of power on February 7.

However, CEO of State Electric Company Ltd (STELCO) Zaid Mohamed has told Minivan News that Germany-based MAN SE and Denmark’s SAMCO companies only left the country for 10 days following the change of government, but returned to the Maldives to continue work on the Fourth Power Development Project.

Daily power cuts result from a delay in completing the Fourth Power project which will add two generators, each capable of producing eight megawatts of electricity, to the company’s functioning 17 generators, STELCO has previously said .

The fourth power project was scheduled to be completed by December 2011, but will now be completed by the end of May, Zaid said.

The MDP in a statement on Wednesday expressed concern over damage to household electric appliances from unscheduled power outages. The party has also claimed the new President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan intends to reduce electricity subsidies to the public.

Meanwhile, Indian media IBN Live has reported that President Waheed asked for Indian investment in providing electricity services during a meeting with Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan during Waheed’s recent trip to India.

Waeed told the Governor “electricity is a major problem in Maldives and said power companies from India can help Maldives to tide over the energy deficiency,” IBN Live reported.