Myanmar issues El Nino power outage warning

Myanmar has warned citizens to expect scheduled power outages from Monday as an unseasonable heatwave linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon puts additional strain on the country’s fragile electricity grid.

Homes and businesses across war-torn Myanmar regularly face blackouts, with authorities imposing scheduled outages at times to ease pressure on the power system. Wealthier residents often rely on generators or backup batteries, while poorer households are left without fans or air conditioning.

“Due to the effects of severe El Nino conditions, temperatures across the country have risen significantly, resulting in increased electricity consumption,” the energy ministry said.

“To balance electricity consumption with available generation capacity during this period, load management and rotational power distribution will be implemented” from Monday, it said in a statement published in state media.

El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that recurs every two to seven years as ocean surface temperatures warm, triggering changes in global wind, pressure and rainfall patterns.

Myanmar weather officials have warned of “abnormal rainfalls and storms, drought, extreme heat, drinking water shortage and extreme weather conditions” as a result of what they described as a “Super El Nino”.

The southern Tanintharyi Region was hit by heavy rains late last month, causing widespread flooding and a landslide that killed at least nine people.

Myanmar is now approaching the end of its wet season, when monsoon rains replenish reservoirs that supply the country’s hydropower plants, its largest source of electricity.

The energy ministry said it was “anticipating more significant depletion of water levels in reservoirs at hydropower plants during the coming dry season”, which normally runs from October to May.

The coming months are typically among Myanmar’s coolest of the year, reducing electricity demand as people use fewer fans and air conditioners. However, the current heatwave is expected to put additional pressure on the power supply.