JEDDAH — Frequent power disruptions have become a constant worry for residents living in Bahra's Najd neighborhood. Residents said they often have to grapple with the summer heat, damage caused to their electrical appliances and spoiled food due to repeated power outages. Residents said these power interruptions are recurrent and the voltage is usually weak when supply resumes. Residents said they do not expect any change even though the school season has begun and students need to relax after returning from school. They said the cause of the problem is an outdated power box that feeds the neighborhood. Burned cables in the box result in power cuts and whenever they call the electricity company, a technician replaces the burned cable and fuses but the problem recurs shortly afterward, they said. The residents pointed out that those who constantly need medical care suffer the most because of these power cuts, as they often have medication that should not be exposed to high temperatures. Because of the frequent power disruptions, they cannot store medicines in refrigerators. They are forced to bear the cost of buying medicines again and again or simply live with their illnesses. Residents said three power boxes are feeding the neighborhood and technicians simply replace the cables when they burn out due to the overload in summer without fixing the cause of the problem. They have repeatedly asked for better quality heavy duty cables that withstand the heat, but their requests went unanswered. A source in the local Saudi Electricity Company said the reason for the power disruption was overload on the power boxes. He added that a technician is always on hand to deal with problems whenever they occur.
