The Electricity Situation Takes an Upturn during the Flooding Season

Daily NK
Han Young Jin
8/1/2007

With the flooding season also starting in North Korea, the electricity situation has taken an upturn with the increase in hydroelectric plants’ water, an insider source relayed on the 29th.

The source said, “Presently, close to 20 hours of electricity out of 24 hours in the day are supplied in big cities and in the provinces, electricity is provided for four to five hours. Compared to an hour a day beginning of the year, the situation has improved significantly.”

Further, he said, “After dinner, the heaven and earth became dark, but nowadays, electric light comes on every household. With the provision of electricity, the People’s Safety Agency is raising a racket inspecting whether or not civilians are watching foreign CDs.”

The source criticized the People’s Safety Agency’s behavior, “During winter, thieves who stole electric lines going into major organizations were threatened with severe punishment, but now, with hours of electric supply, the Agency is going around saying they will severely punish those who watch foreign movies.”

Most of North Korea is supplied by hydraulic power, but in the winter season, there is a shortage of water of hydroelectric dams, so the generation of power shrinks by half. On top of this, the recent production of fossil has decreased, which caused thermal power plants’ rate of operations to fall and worsened the shortage.

In North Korea, the wintertime electricity situation is normally the worst. During summer, the situation gets better, but from winter, it becomes worse again. With the recent flooding season, the precipitation rose and has caused an improvement in the electricity situation as a whole.

The source said, “Generally, with the resolution of the electricity shortage, the amount of operations of North Korean railroads has increased and the speed has become faster as well. North Korean railroads mostly operate by electricity. The railroads have overseen 90% of freights and approximately 60% of travelers.

On one hand, the source said, “The cases of people who can afford trades and use buses over trains are increasing. Traders prefer arriving on time and traveling comfortably, even if that means paying more money.”

He added, “Individuals or organizations can operate buses for three years after receiving business permits, but in three years, it is known that they offer the buses to the state and operate them by charter.”

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