Last week, Tanesco announced a 10-day period of power rationing. The rationing was due to maintenance taking place at the Songo Songo gas plant, which generates electricity for the national grid.
The notice was sort of a disclaimer to say “we’re going to cut it out at any time we see fit, and you’ll have to deal with that”. So in those 10 days, we never really knew when the power would go out. Sometimes it went out for an hour or two. Other times it went out for entire days and nights.
In my hood, it looks like the rationing has stopped (for now). But other neighborhoods are complaining it hasn’t. This is not the first time Tanzania is experiencing severe power cuts. It has happened quite frequently and sometimes without notice for at least 2 decades.
Further, Tanesco has proposed hiking up electricity tariffs by 68%. The company claims that it cannot keep up with its losses and that if the increased tariffs are not approved, rationing may continue.
Here are are 10 reasons why I think power rationing makes little sense (with some accompanying questions that invite debate on my reasoning).
1. It reduces citizens’ productivity.
We have become dependent on many electrical devices since independence: Fans, lights, irons, mobile phones, TVs, radios, refrigerators, electric ovens, etc. How do we attend to the “important” things in life if basic electricity provision fails us?
2. It reduces institutional productivity.
Hospitals, schools, banks, factories and all kinds of other companies cannot perform well if they don’t have electricity. So how do services continue serving?
3. It inhibits peoples’ trust in public management.
When basic utilities fail, people become unsatisfied customers. And when the customer service line also fails, it provides a bad impression to customers and they begin thinking about alternatives. Unfortunately, our electricity is provided by a sudo-monopoly; alternatives are not affordable. So the impression on the electricity service provider gets worse.
4. Outside visitors get a bad impression.
We claim to be a country that stands with open arms to tourism. And tourism indeed earns Tanzania good money. What happens when the bed and breakfast loses power? Worse, what happens when the foreign consultant can’t access basic telecommunications?
5. It contradicts Tanzania’s growing access to energy.
Tanzania supposedly sits on the third largest deposit of natural gas in the world. We read about it every day. How can we encourage companies to help us explore and extract this if we are still seeing power cuts?
6. It’s hot.
November-January are Tanzania’s hottest months. In an already hot climate, does it make sense to turn off the power to cooling appliances?
7. Prevents innovation in finding new sources of energy.
If there is a problem at power plants, and if Tanesco is caught up in trying to get those up and running, the opportunity cost is time and energy that could go into finding other, newer sources of energy that could prevent future rationing.
8. A 68% price hike implies someone messed up somewhere.
You cannot just increase a price that much and blame it on rising operating costs. It is an indication that either Tanesco has been pricing incorrectly all this time (not likely), or that something else is going on. Nevertheless, how is this request justified in the middle of a rationing period?
9. Does not prepare well for welcoming EAC partners.
Coalition of the Willing or not, business people around the East African region are now trading goods and services across the region. What kind of hosts will we be to our brothers and sisters from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya if we can’t keep up with electricity demands?
10. Further-prevents marginalized populations from electric access.
Cuts, price hikes and awkward rhetoric further-marginalize already marginalized communities in Tanzania. It reduces their capability to use electricity even more. And if that’s not the point of any kind of development, including power utilities, then what is?
Seriously, let’s talk. You don’t always need Luku for that right?
Further reading:
- 2013 Tanesco tarrif hike request: What are the issues, effects? (Honest Ngowi)
- Tanesco announces ten day power interruption(Daily News)
- Customers: Tanesco lied to us (The Citizen)
- Tanesco threatens indefinate power rationing (IPP Media)
- Tanlessko: Decreasing productivity with class
