A storm of public criticism arose after Thingyan, when blackouts started occurring around the country more and more frequently. Since then, many have wondered why the blackouts have been so frequent. Some have put the blame on the new civilian government that came into power recently, while some blame the extreme El Niño weather front that has been drying up bodies of water in a country that heavily relies on hydroelectricity. Whatever the case may be, many livelihoods have been harmed by the recent electrical outages, from normal household affairs to businesses, especially those in industries that rely heavily on electric power. If there is ever anything wrong with the power supply, the fisheries industry is directly affected. Things such as cold storage and deep freeze units require a constant power supply so the products don’t rot. If the power turns on and off again and again, it brings down the quality of fish and prawns because temperature control in the storage facilities will be unstable. So if the EPC cannot be relied on, businesses have to invest in their own generators, which, of course, cost a lot more to run things 24/7. Ice machines are affected as well. The costs get higher, and the quality gets lower, said Win Kyine, the general secretary of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation. Summer is when electricity usage in Myanmar reaches its highest level, even more so now that abnormally high temperatures are forcing people to take refuge indoors, where they can use air conditioning. According to one staff officer in Tamwe Township: The blackouts started happening last month, and they happen so frequently that I have lost my patience. Some electronics at home broke, even the power inverter broke. Light bulbs and tubes have had to be changed five times this month alone. I do not even know who to blame anymore. People in Yangon need a regular flow of power to function properly. The official mantra that the EPC has continually cited whenever a power outage occurs is system breakdown due to the overwhelming amount of stress on the system. Even though a plan to change 150 new power transformers is underway, many people are now demanding that the new government be systematic and transparent to the public about the current situation. Yangon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein commented on this issue on May 5, saying Myanmar is consuming beyond its means, and even though natural gases have been utilised to generate more power, it is not enough. Whenever the question come up as to why the outages keep happening, Yangon Region power distribution always attributes it to a system breakdown. We need to reassess our levels of generation and consumption. Otherwise, it will keep torturing the citizens, said Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein. According to an announcement by the EPC on May 7, electricity distribution will resume at its normal pace, but some townships that receive power from the Hlawga-Thaketa power line will still see scheduled power shortages. While electricity shortages and blackouts are familiar to Myanmar people, some expect the new government to be more capable and dutiful to the public. There still has not been any official apology by the government that details everything the public should know about the power outages. Some time ago, the ministry apparently held emergency meetings using candles as a light source. They must be pulling a stunt because there definitely are emergency lamps. Heck, there are some even at my home. The underlying tone behind the candlestick meeting is worrying because that is part of an old, nasty habit, said former MP U Kyaw. According to Pabedan Township MP Than Naing Oo: The other problem is that the higher ups are not saying anything to the people yet. While the public will not understand issues that are very technical, it can still be explained in layman’s terms. The EPC should hold a press conference, but everything that has been said now only came out after the chief minister addressed the issue. Those directly in charge should let the people know what they are dealing with, as they have been waiting hopefully for change, even when all of these blackouts are what we inherited from the previous government. Many experts have also said the faulty power supply is a huge obstacle to the development of the country, as several large-scale businesses have considered Myanmar to be more than worthy of investment but have decided against it due to the insufficient supply of power. Our rice machinery also faces great difficulty when hindered by electricity issues, but misgivings are not limited only to the agricultural industry. These doubts are a huge factor in the process of deciding whether businesses choose to operate in Myanmar. Everything is electrically powered nowadays, and unstable electricity supply will definitely hamper growth and development, said Dr Soe Htun, Deputy Chairman of the Myanmar Rice Federation