May 4, 2014

It’s Sunday evening and we are sitting in the dark-again. We’ve been here almost a month now and there has been only one day without a power outage and many days with multiple outages. Going without electricity by itself isn’t so bad. We still usually have internet access and we have a gas stove and candles if it’s night. The problem is that when the power goes so does the water because there’s a pump to get it from the cistern by our house to the plumbing inside. So when the electricity goes out, there’s no washing dishes, no laundry washed, no taking a shower, no washing fruit of veggies and no water to put through the filter for drinking. I now TRY to keep 2 pitchers of tap water and 2 pitchers of filtered water on the counter all the time just in case it’s off a while. The utility seems to like to have extended outages especially on Sunday. Today it went off around noon and back on around 5:30 and then it went off again about a half hour later. This go around has been about 1 1/2 hrs so far.

People here have been losing appliances, computers and accessories, surge protectors, and the hospital has lost medical equipment during the extreme peeks and valleys that occur with the electricity. Having experienced first hand these electricity issues, we know how badly this place needs a stable power source. Yes, this hydro plant IS badly needed here. We hope to see it run this week. Some of the hydraulic oil has arrived- the needed component to start and run the turbine. They will see tomorrow if it is enough. Keep praying. I think there will be celebrations when it starts working.

Mrs Kilowatt