Mali’s energy company (EDM) ,the national power supplier, asked industrial consumers to shut down all electrical appliances from 6 pm to 2 am during the next heatwave (from March 1 to July 31, 2018).

 This is due to the drought that lowered water level in both Manantaly (200 MW) and Sélingué (46.2 MW) dams. Indeed, for the first time in 38 years, Sélingué dam was not full. At Manantaly dam, the volume fell by 2.5 m from the usual level.  

 “Every year, we pump, fill and pour water from this dam. This is the first time, since it was commissioned in 1980, that we haven’t been able to fill it to a level that allows us to pour the surplus,” said Ladio Sogoba, EDM's deputy technical director who reported the measure.

The company hopes industrial consumers will follow this directive to let it supply small-scale consumers during the period. Otherwise, it will set a rolling blackout plan that will affect every consumer.

Gwladys Johnson Akinocho