A #nottoblackout campaign has gained momentum in Cameroon as citizens across the Central African nation voice their frustration over prolonged power outages and call for a permanent solution.
The outcry on various social media platforms comes as many residents endure days without electricity, impacting daily life for both individuals and businesses.
Even amid the ongoing coverage of the 2023 AFCON games in Ivory Coast, a sports journalist, Fotso, raised questions about the challenges of providing electricity as a fundamental right for citizens. He expressed his difficulties in sending videos to his news team in Cameroon and emphasised the need for authorities to address the issue urgently. why “providing electricity, which is a basic right for citizens, is proving difficult. What is really the issue?” Fotso said.
Others, like Ben, who posted on social media and stated, “We are tired of blackouts; we have tried to persevere, but things are only getting worse,” echoed Fotso’s sentiments. Business owners lament the loss of goods due to persistent blackouts, while students find themselves unable to study in the absence of electricity.
The country’s power utility, ENEO, explained the root causes of the ongoing power outage problem in Cameroon in a statement earlier this year. The company cited operational limitations and production concerns within the Southern Interconnected Network (Ris), covering several regions. Notably, low water levels in the Ntem River have significantly reduced Memve’ele production, contributing to the current energy deficit.
Another source at ENEO also said, “Last year, power cuts in the first quarter resulted from low water levels at Memve’ele. Given that the Ris production park has not expanded since then and demand has increased (100,000 new connections in 2023), we find ourselves in a similar situation.”
While the Lom Pangar reservoir dam power plant in the East region has been producing its full 30 MW capacity for weeks, challenges in transmitting the power to other regions persist due to the absence of a transmission line between Bertoua and Abong Mbang, according to a source at the Ministry of Water and Energy.
Consequently, Eneo has reportedly implemented rotational electricity rationing to manage the system’s balance. The company acknowledges that the duration of rotations may vary based on real-time production deficits and assures special arrangements to minimise the impact on households, including the involvement of thermal power plants and specific industries during peak hours.
Late last year, Cameroon faced a similar energy crisis due to the shutdown of the gas-fired Kribi power plant (KPDC, 216 MW) and the heavy fuel oil Dibamba power plant (DPDC, 88 MW), both controlled by the British company Globeleq. Globeleq, citing projected unpaid bills of CFA115 billion by the end of December 2023 from Eneo, restarted its power plants only after a promise of a CFA30 billion payment was fulfilled.
Citizens who are being affected firsthand say the #nottoblackout campaign has come to stay until the issue is adressed.
