By Sering Mass Jallow
The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has attributed the recent increase in power outages across the Greater Banjul Area and other parts of The Gambia to soaring temperatures, high humidity and record electricity demand.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NAWEC said electricity demand had reached an unprecedented peak of 140 megawatts nationwide, driven largely by the prevailing hot weather.
The utility company said the surge in demand has coincided with reduced electricity imports, despite the operation of four local generating units. It added that the situation has been worsened by a technical fault affecting one of the major generating units supplying imported power.
As a result, NAWEC announced that it would implement load shedding during peak hours, mainly between 8:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., with several parts of the country expected to experience temporary power interruptions.
The company says the measure is necessary to maintain the security and stability of the national electricity network while available generation capacity remains constrained.
NAWEC expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation of its customers, reaffirming its commitment to providing reliable and stable electricity supply as efforts continue to restore normal service.