Residents here say they are suffering severely in the blistering summer temperatures because of the sudden and repeated power cuts in their neighborhoods. Abu Osama, a resident in east Jeddah, said without power no one can tolerate the drastic weather changes taking place in Jeddah. With Ramadan coming closer many people now fear the food they buy will rot. He said this raises a crucial question about whether the Saudi Electricity Company has taken precautionary measures to prevent sudden power cuts, especially during Ramadan, when the demand for power increases. All weather forecasts predict summer temperatures will be at their highest in Ramadan, he added. Salman Bin Huraiz and Abdullah Khoja said summer has just started and many people now fear that the situation can only get worse. They said many residents in different districts in Jeddah have suffered from power cuts over the past year. Many were forced to abandon their homes and rent furnished flats or move to other districts to stay with their relatives. Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi and Saeed Shandi urged the authorities at the company to ensure regular maintenance of the overhead transmission lines and power generating stations. Officials should also maintain the small power transformers in the districts, check the electricity meters, and connections linking the houses to the main power stations. Engineer Abdul Aziz Al-Matawae, Director of the Saudi Electricity Company, said the company had made all the necessary arrangements many weeks before the summer season to ensure the continued power supply to all subscribers especially during summer. He said this year the company has set up new power generating stations in the districts and assigned field teams to work around the clock to deal with emergencies. He said Jeddah has the country's most stable power supply now for four years in a row because of the company's service plans in the region. __
