Power? to the people...

Tuesday June 9, 2009 at 5:25 p.m. the power went out – again. We were fortunate to have power for most of the morning… before leaving the apartment for my meetings, etc. in the heart of the city. But, now that I’m home – my home away from home – no power, no lights, no fridge, no fans and unable to charge computers or phones. It’s incredible how much I – and the collective “we” – have come to depend on reliable sources of electricity. And here in Sierra Leone it’s never reliable and a constant topic of conversation.

There’s no rhyme nor reason as to when the power will be on or when it’s off. One day the power will be on during the day – when most people don’t need it. The next day we’ll have no power… and the next it’ll be on for a couple of hours late at night. It’s totally random. Or is it?

One of the other most talked about topics around here is corruption… from the police on the street to the highest levels of government. So, here’s my theory. There must be some guy who sits in a huge room full of switches that control where and when the power is distributed. And, depending on who makes their “payments” to my fictitious switch operator, that’s where the power will be channelled. I can see it now… a room full of wall switches, on and off, and this lone, powerful, electrifying guy sitting in his broken down swivel chair rolling himself from side to side flicking this switch and then that one. It’s an amusing thought.

We once had power in our apartment for an entire evening and into the night… I figure the guy in the switch room had flicked our neighbourhood’s toggle and then fallen asleep. It was a rare and wonderful treat to tuck in under my mosquito net and feel the fan swivelling it’s delicious swirl of cool air across the room. I awoke to a fully-charged phone and computer. And, I could shower in the dim light of my overhead bulb in the bathroom. I was getting used to cold showers in the dark… but morning power and light was a treat, a welcome relief thanks to my sleeping switch operator.

The National Power Authority (NPA) runs the electrical supply to the entire country and is based on Siaka Stevens Street in downtown Freetown. It relies on the Bumbuna Dam, a hydro-electric facility in the northern part of Sierra Leone. And, while driving back from Mile 91 last week, I could see the long lines of wires, most of which were badly damaged during the war. Interestingly, the dam is only fully operational during the rainy season… yet, to placate Sierra Leoneons, the All People’s Congress (APC) government continues to tell us that 24-hour power is almost here… any day now… possibly by the end of the month… or maybe even by Cmas. The “power date” continues to come and go… and no one really makes a fuss about missed deadlines, etc. Hmmm, it sounds suspicious to me.

It’s a wonder, really, why no one is looking into smaller solar powered alternatives given the consistent sunlight we experience. The power/electricity dilemma continues to be a source of international aid, however, and I wonder if governments, because they’re so heavily reliant on aid, are choosing to continue their pursuit of hydro power at the risk of losing aid dollars. But really… so much future investment depends on 24-hour power. Imagine having a factory that sits idle when there’s no power. Or, what about the offices downtown that operate on six to seven hours of power… at inconsistent times. Most office buildings run huge generators to even out the power supply at a tremendous cost to the environment, to pocket-books and to noise levels in the city. But to most, it’s a fact of life… and one that, while people talk about it, there doesn’t seem to be much anyone can do about it.

So, I have a stock of candles… and try to charge my computer and phone when I can. When the power’s on, I’m thrilled… and when it goes off, I complain. But, it’s just something I’m learning to live with – or without.

By candlelight,
Stephen