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| Posted to the web on May 14, 2008 |
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May 14, 2008 — The price of candles has almost doubled in the local market amid the increase in the number of days of power shedding in the country has enhanced demand for the product as more people are using candles.
Market retail prices of candles on average increased to 14 birr per pack from the previous price of 8 birr before the start of the power shedding, according to a general market assessment made by Capital.
The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has announced that out of the total 200MW of electric power needed for Addis Ababa the corporation was short 80MW last month but now, the problem more serious. The power interruption would continue for the next two or three months, after the corporation face a power shortage of over 40% in the capital city.
Ferehiwot Adane, a housewife residing in Addis Ababa says she now finds it very difficult to afford buying candles to light up her house during her turn of power disruption.
“My children and I are forced to go to bed early to avoid the darkness,” Ferehiwot says. “This week they even prolonged the time when the power comes back on.”
The amount of electric power supplied during the past nine months is almost equal with the amount supplied during the previous year. The corporation said that demand grows 10% every year.
According to the corporation’s data, in 1999, Ethiopian fiscal year, EEPCo distributed 2160GWH power and in the last nine months of the 2000 fiscal year the corporation distributed 2412GWH power.
The ever increasing number of new industries as well as the expansion of investment activities in various parts of the country, accompanied by low levels of rain during the main rainy season, have aggravated the problem.
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