{"id":3895,"date":"2018-09-21T13:37:36","date_gmt":"2018-09-21T04:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=3895"},"modified":"2019-08-13T17:50:05","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T08:50:05","slug":"power-supply","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2018\/09\/society-economy\/power-supply\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Significant improvements made to power supply"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Reference Photo)Apartment residents in Pyongsong City drawing water from a well due to water supply cut-offs caused by power failures. Taken by Baek Hyang in March, 2013 (ASIAPRESS)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

In the northern region of North Korea, local authorities are expected to raise electricity prices, following improvements of the power supply to factories and residential districts made since June, according to are porting partner in North Korea. (Kang Ji-won)<\/p>\n

Talking about the local power supply, are porting partner residing in northern Yanggang Province said during a telephone conversation with ASIAPRESS in mid-July:<\/p>\n

\"Since the end of June, electricity has been supplied to residential districts for over 10 hours a day and to factory enterprises for almost 20 hours a day. The power supply is normal.\"<\/p>\n

Another reporting partner, from a city in North Hamkyung Province, said that \"in July, the power supply suddenly improved and, since then, electricity has been provided for 10 hours a day. The water supply has returned to normal as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

In relation to the sudden resolution of power shortages, the Yanggang Province-based reporting partner said,<\/p>\n

\"Rumor has it that the electricity is coming from China or that it has been redirected through the unofficial, private economy, but I don\u2019t know the exact source.\"<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, following the improvements in the power supply, the local electricity distribution office initiated a survey on ownership of household electrical appliances.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner said, \"The electricity distribution office is currently conducting a survey on electrical appliance usage in each household. After the survey is completed, it will be decided whether electricity bills will be calculated according to individual household usage or by using a flat monthly rate of 10,000 KPW (about $ 1.10). The authorities said that the cost of installing electricity meters will be borne by each household, but there has been no decision yet.\"<\/p>\n

As ASIAPRESS has already reported, last year in Pyongyang, government officials visited private homes, forcing residents to buy electricity meters for $20-30. However, very few were actually installed due to strong opposition. The authorities attempted to adjust electricity prices after conducting surveys of individual household usage, but residents were deeply dissatisfied, saying, \u201cThey are making us pay bills without even providing electricity.\"<\/p>\n

Next page: the local authorities ordered residents to pay 10,000 KPW per month...<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Map of North Korea<\/p><\/div>\n

In Yanggang and North Hamkyung Provinces, our partners reported that, in November last year, the local authorities ordered residents to pay 10,000 KPW per month for electricity but, due to frequent power shortages, the fees were not enforced.<\/p>\n

This year, dissatisfaction among North Koreans has been spreading due to the declining supply of electricity to residential districts and due to the creation of multiple \u201cpower saving districts\u201d, where the power supply is non-existent. However, most residents are of the opinion that, \"If electricity is well supplied, we don\u2019t mind paying 10,000 KPW a month.\"<\/p>\n

It seems that, with the new improvements to the power supply, measures by the local electricity distribution offices will come into enforcement.<\/p>\n

\"Now that the power supply has stabilized, the electricity distribution office has intensively cracked down on the use of electric heaters. This is because the power lines are getting old and short-circuits and electrical accidents are occurring frequently, \" the reporting partner added.<\/p>\n

Since the Kim Jong-il era, there have been a number of attempts to improve the electricity billing system in order to address the issue of excessive electricity usage. Cheap prices and an inconsistent billing system based on the number of household members or appliances have added to the problem of excess usage. However, all plans to improve the system failed due to prolonged periods of power shortages.<\/p>\n

These measures appear to be part of the current regime\u2019s attempts to assess production costs and pursue economic rationality, along with normalizing the power supply. Given the economic difficulties North Korea is currently facing though, it is uncertain whether or not the \u00a0push for normalization of the country\u2019s power supply will be sustained.<\/p>\n

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