Addu city Mayor Ali Nizar has said that the electricity and water problems facing the city are unlikely to be solved before Ramadan.
Nizar told Adhadhu that there are frequent power outages in Addu along with water service disruptions and the issue of sewage leaking into the roads.
He added that work was not ongoing although the government claims Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) has been tasked with solving the issues.
Referring to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's recent announcement that water and electricity problems in all islands will be solved before Ramadan, Nizar said it is unlikely the problems can be solved in Addu within that deadline.
"There is no electricity. There is no water. There is no water even when there is electricity. Then they say the work is being carried out by MWSC. But if they do not pay, the work will not continue. Sewage problem is also there," he said.
"The electricity problem in Addu cannot be solved before Ramadan. The President's announcement must not include Addu."
Nizar said Fenaka might be able to solve power issues in smaller islands by acquiring generators, but it cannot work for a big city like Addu.
He noted that the generators in Addu were in poor condition while the high-voltage cables were also worn out.
"Is there a Fenaka? Fenaka can respond only if it exists. What solution can Fenaka bring? They might be able to solve it by sending a generator to a small island. The entire grid of Addu is completely damaged along with the high-voltage cables. They are producing just 11 megawatts using 18 or 19 generators," Nizar said.
He called on the government to work directly to solve these issues in Addu, adding that Fenaka has gone bankrupt due to lack of funds.
"Fenaka is the most bankrupt company in the country. Fenaka cannot solve this. The government should directly solve the water and electricity problem in Addu," he stated.
China's Dongfang Electric Corporation and Fenaka Corporation signed an agreement in April 2024 to improve the electricity service in Addu.
Dongfang Electric Corporation was awarded the contract to upgrade the distribution system with a 32-megawatt power plant. Under the first phase, two generator sets of 9.8 megawatts and two generator sets of 5.8 megawatts must be installed in the city.
But Nizar said the work awarded to the Chinese company has not started yet.
He had earlier warned that the second-largest city in the country could face a crisis in the future if the electricity problems were not addressed immediately.
Addu has been experiencing various electricity and water service disruptions since the beginning of 2024. However, the problem has not been completely resolved.
There are frequent power cuts at different times every day. The residents have been expressing concern and complaining about the difficulties.
