Frequent power outages is not a measure of bad service, Abdullah Al-Hussayyen, Minister of Water and Electricity, said Sunday. The minister said there are international criteria to evaluate the service and reasons for the numerous power outages, such as problems with contractors and generators catching fire, are beyond the company's control. “I agree that a continuous power supply is an important matter, but its continuity without any cut-off is impossible,” the minister said. Water services are effective, he added, and will continue to improve. “Any fair person would make a positive judgment about water services in the Kingdom, especially because of the per capita consumption and the drop in demand for water tanker trucks. The figures we achieve confirm that there is a great improvement in this service.” Al-Hussayyen said factories would accept a new electricity tariff because the increase is small and good management would decrease the cost by taking advantage of lower rates during non-peak hours and transferring loads. Al-Hussayyen lauded the Gulf electricity grid link-up project and said, “It is forging ahead smoothly. Egypt will exchange electrical power with the Kingdom because of the difference in the two countries' peak hours.” He said the electricity situation is getting better, but “there is big room for improvement and achieving what is required.” The Saudi Electricity Company, which serves more than 5.7 million subscribers and 13,000 villages, rural areas and governorates, has added 400,000 megawatts this year, Al-Hussayyen noted. During the signing Saturday night of a contract to provide water and wastewater services in Taif and Makkah, Al-Hussayyen said the national strategy for water would be announced soon after the project is completed. The SR173 million contract, between the National Water Company and a consortium of a French company and Al-Zamil, runs for five years. He added that the company's strategy is going ahead smoothly and there would be privatization in Dammam and Madina before the year's end.
