 Power Outages
or power cuts occur almost daily in one part of the Gambia or another
though to a lesser extent since 2007. Most hotels in Gambia as well as
many businesses have generators, but these aren’t always reliable due
to the high cost of fuel to power them as well as intermittent
breakdowns. In addition, it often takes several minutes to turn on
after an outage.
If power is out for an extended period of time, the Friendship Hotel
will save money by running the generator only between dusk and
midnight. Always plan ahead and never take for granted
that you'll have electricity when you need it.
Save often when using a
computer, use a UPS and plan on charging batteries for phones, computers,
cameras, etc. well before you need to use them. Candles are a
fantastic investment; they can be bought at any local shop for a few
dalasi. Holders are not needed essential as you can simply melt the bottom and stick it to
the nearest fire resistant flat surface, Gambian style. Do be
very careful about possible fire hazards if you choose to do this such
as curtains.
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Background:
Regular power cuts began in around 1977 and it followed
the Sahelian droughts 1968-1974 which
saw a significant rural-urban drift of people from the villages and
into the towns. The population of these areas suddenly swelled to the
breaking point and the demand for electricity and water escalated. In
trying to cope, the utilities corporation suffered a series of serious
mechanical break-downs that has crippled the
energy sector ever since
with frequent power cuts and load shedding which lasted for the next
30 years.
Present Situation:
Currently in the urban areas & hotel
resorts of Greater Banjul in the West Coast, power outages have become more of an
aberration rather than the norm. This used the be the exact opposite
about 1 ½ years ago. The rural areas have
yet to benefit fully from the
Rural Electrification Project.
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