Implementing temporary measures to address the situation
The Jirama has announced rolling blackouts of about two hours for each neighborhood in Antananarivo and Antsirabe. These outages are necessary to equitably redistribute electricity production, which is currently limited by both climatic and technical factors.
According to Jirama, this situation is expected to continue until artificial rainfall can be implemented, a process that may be carried out by the end of the week. Since the start of the week, Jirama has stated that alternating power outages of about two hours will affect various districts connected to the Antananarivo grid. This measure, which also affects the city of Antsirabe, is necessary due to insufficient electricity production caused by both climatic and technical issues, as highlighted by the state-owned company.
Technicians from Jirama report that the Andekaleka hydroelectric plant, the capital’s primary source of electricity, has been significantly affected by reduced water levels during this dry season. The challenges extend beyond that. Thermal power plants, which supplement hydroelectric production, are also experiencing issues. Due to the increased heat, the risk of malfunction in these facilities has risen, further exacerbating the situation. As a result, Jirama has been forced to rigorously allocate the available electricity, leading to these scheduled power cuts.
In response to this energy crisis, Jirama is considering temporary measures to alleviate the situation, including the potential for artificial rainfall, which could be technically feasible by the end of this week. According to Manda Ny Aina Nomena, deputy general manager in charge of electricity production at Jirama, weather conditions are expected to be favorable for this operation, which would boost water levels in reservoirs and consequently increase electricity production.
