JEDDAH — Many residents in Jeddah, Taif, Madinah, and Riyadh are suffering in the blistering summer this Ramadan, due to the repeated power cuts in their neighborhoods. Muhammad Al-Harbi, a resident in east Jeddah, complained of lingering power cuts which frustrated many who had stocked up on supplies for Ramadan only to see them rot. “We had constant power cuts in our neighborhood last summer, and officials at the Saudi Electricity Company had promised to take precautionary measures this summer, yet, such promises have gone with the wind," he said. Similarly, Mesfir Al-Otaibi, another resident suffering from power cuts said, “The Saudi Electricity company should be prepared instead of blaming the cuts on overloads. Doesn't the company know that electric consumption increases in the summer? Why is the same excuse used year in and out? Frankly, we are fed up." Head of the Western Sector at the Saudi Electricity Company, Abdul Maeen Bin Hassan Al-Sheikh, said the company had made all the necessary arrangements. “Despite the new power generating stations entering into service, cuts frequently happen because of growing consumption," he claimed. — SG
