All Ras Al Khaimah power generators to undergo maintenance

The Department of Electricity and Water yesterday launched a week-long maintenance programme to repair all power generators, including those of the two major power stations in the emirate.

A senior official said that power supplies would be affected in many districts on a rotating basis. Power will be cut today for at least three hours in Oman Street and other parts of Al Nakheel district.

Tomorrow, power will be cut in the Al Dhan, Al Dhait and Al Digdagah areas for at least two hours. "On August 1, power will be cut in the Wadi Shaam Area for around two hours. Power cuts will also occur in many districts on August 4 when we shift a main power generator from its current site to a new location," he said. The department is unable to specify which areas will be affected.

On Agust 5, all places off Ras Al Khaimah Gate, including Al Dhait, will be affected when a new generator is installed to supply power to new houses in those areas. "We know the importance of informing residents of any possible power cut in advance in order to give them a chance to prepare for it," he said.

Residents have complained that repeated power cuts have become a "nightmare". They urged the Department of Electricity and Water to take urgent measures to ensure stable power supplies, "particularly during this hot season of the year."

Local resident Mohammed Ali Sulaiman said that the department could have performed its maintenance during the winter when power cuts are easier to cope with.

"Power in the summer is essential in this part of the world. Therefore it should be made available throughout the hot season without interruption," he said. Many people leave their jobs and rush home when they receive calls that the power has been cut, as if it were a major tragedy.

Local resident Khalid Khalifa said that dealing with technical problems should not take long. "Even if the department were to fix all the power generators and power cables in the emirate, it should not take that long a time. At least one or two areas have a power cut on a daily basis. Power failures in Ras Al Khaimah happen continuously."

Resident Alaa Mustafa said that nobody would deny the department the right to fix its stations and generators. But it should provide temporary generators during the power cut. "The department should do the necessary maintenance work all together so as to avoid going back to do it again and again," Mustafa said.