The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) summoned the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) to a meeting on Wednesday, June 26th, 2024, to discuss the current intermittent power interruptions and shortages in the Greater Banjul Area and West Coast Region. This was prompted by public outcry over the recent protracted power cuts.
The meeting was an opportunity to get firsthand information from NAWEC on the reasons for the disruptions and the measures to mitigate the menace and minimize the burden on their consumers.
NAWEC officials, in their deliberations, cited the surge in demand during the summer, commensurate with loss in available capacity and the overloading of transformers, amongst others, as factors responsible for the power outages.
NAWEC has also informed the Authority of their plans for ongoing projects with a specific timeline to upgrade the power system, including lines and transformers, to handle the demand increase and improve service quality.
PURA has enjoined NAWEC to follow suit with the planned upgrades and mitigation measures, continue to inform its consumers of the developments taking place and address the current electricity woes. PURA assures the public that it will continue to engage NAWEC and the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the planned measures are fully implemented and that there is a smooth transition in transforming and upgrading the power system.
