Congo-Brazzaville: annoying power outages during confinement

Text by: Loïcia Martial

Residents of Brazzaville, the Congolese capital, live in confinement and the curfew in force since March 31 in the dark. They are subject to power cuts and load shedding, which is not without posing crucial problems.

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From our correspondent in Brazzaville

In this house located about 500 meters from the Saint-Grégoire Catholic church in Massengo, the family rejoices: after several hours of power outage, it is 5:00 p.m., the power is back. But it is a short-lived joy because the next cut will last all night much to the regret of Nancy, a 27-year-old mother who is breastfeeding.

“ Often, we sleep without the current. In recent times, there have been cuts starting at 6 p.m. and it doesn't come back until the next day. We don't follow the newspaper either. I have a baby I am breastfeeding and I remove the diapers in the dark. It's dangerous, ”she says.

Day and night, the cuts and load shedding are repeated since the start of the containment and curfew initiated to block the spread of the Covid-19 as explained by this couple who requested anonymity. “ The current makes our task even more difficult with confinement. The current leaves at any time. We only have it for 10 or 15 minutes. It's been four or five days, we don't even follow the newspaper, ”he says.

Many fear that their supplies will end up in the trash overnight. " It may well waste our food. I do not know how we are going to do with this current until the end of the month (April). We are even afraid for the provisions we had to make, ”lament the residents of the Massengo district.

The Electric Power Company of Congo (2EC) mentions disturbances on a high voltage line connecting Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville and promises to improve service once the maintenance work is completed.

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• Congo Brazzaville
• Energies
• Coronavirus

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