Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Many Jeddah residents, especially those living in the city's eastern districts, have complained about recurrent power cuts at a time when their children prepare for mid-term school examinations.

Saudi Electricity Company's technicians often carry out repairs to restore power supply very late, causing heavy financial and material losses to businesses and individuals.

Abdullah Al-Jelaifi said most districts located east of the Haramain Expressway, like Tayseer, suffer recurrent power outages especially after midnight.

"The districts will remain in total darkness until the supply is restored after the repair works are completed," he told Al-Madina Arabic daily.

He said recurrent power cuts damage air-conditioners and other electric and electronic appliances at home and businesses. It also contaminates food items kept in the refrigerators.

"Power outages will also affect the conditions of patients suffering from chronic diseases and those who are on life support or ventilators," he pointed out.

He emphasized the need to improve electricity services to avoid supply disruptions.

Ibrahim Al-Khozami, an engineer at SEC, said in many cases power outage were caused by thieves who steal electricity meters, cables and other materials for recycling.

"We will catch and punish such criminals as soon as we receive information about them," he told Al-Madina. "We normally send maintenance teams to consumers immediately after receiving information about power cuts," the engineer said.

"We also provide temporary repair works and mobile generators, in case it takes a long time to restore supply until we bring in special repair teams and carry out major maintenance work," he explained.

Naif Al-Baqami, another SEC engineer, said some people tamper with electricity meters in their bid to reduce their bills and this is another cause for supply disruption. "We'll punish such consumers by imposing fines."

Fadl Al-Asheikh, a maintenance manager in Jeddah, said, "Most cable thefts take place in residential districts when people are away and when there is no light. It will be difficult for thieves to steal meters and other materials when there are people around because they will not be able to escape after the crimes."

The SEC has arrested a number of thieves who stole cables and meters, including a gang in Makkah, he said, adding that the company has adopted new methods to prevent thefts.

Al-Madina contacted Col. Aati Al-Qurashi, spokesman for Makkah police, to know about steps taken by the police to prevent thefts of electric meters and cables, but he did not respond.

Last week, parents and teachers at Hakim Benhazam Primary School in Jeddah complained about frequent power outages in the school, which has about 1,000 children on its rolls.

The students and teachers said they were forced to sit in classrooms without air-conditioning and lights since the beginning of the week.

"I called one of my teachers to find out whether the electricity supply was restored," said Fahd Mohammed, a student of the school.

Teachers blamed the absence of a regular contractor to carry out routine maintenance work and repair electrical faults for the problem. The Ministry of Education has terminated contracts with all maintenance companies since the beginning of this year.

"I called the family driver at 9 a.m. and asked him to go to school, pick up my son and go home after my son called me and told me that the situation in the classroom was unbearable," he added.

He was surprised by the silence of the Department of Education for not suspending school until the problem was resolved resolved. "I know that the problem of electricity is internal and not a problem of the electricity company," added Mohammed.

Ali Zafer, another parent, said he had to come to up his son at 9.30 a.m. for two days in a row because he wanted to return home because the power outage in the school.

"The number of students in each classrooms is very large and there is a health risk, because it is the high season of diseases, in this volatile environment," said the parent.

Sources told Al-Madina that the situation in the classrooms was terrible during the total blackout. There are classes with more than 40 students in a space of 36 square meters. The total number of students and teachers in the school exceeds 1,000 in 28 sections. This is a very large number within such a small facility and with no electricity, the chances of spreading diseases among the children were very high, the sources said.