# Power cuts



## aykalam

I can confirm they have started in Rehab, intermittent, never long but pretty annoying. Can't wait to fly out for the summer


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## Sonrisa

We have had them for a while in Maadi. The last about an hour. Sometimes once, twice or even three times a day. Really very annoying.


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## MaidenScotland

My friend who lives in Maadi and had 3 power cuts yesterday has posted a photo of 3 young men doing their homework on a table out in the street where there is at least some natural light plus they manage to keep on some street lights.


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## canuck2010

3 power ration cuts in maadi yesterday. One so far today.


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## aykalam

Power had just come back when I posted this thread, another brief cut since


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## aykalam

MaidenScotland said:


> My friend who lives in Maadi and had 3 power cuts yesterday has posted a photo of 3 young men doing their homework on a table out in the street where there is at least some natural light plus they manage to keep on some street lights.


https://twitter.com/tweetThawra/status/336598265963360256/photo/1


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## aykalam

Electricity Minister has apologized for power cuts last night, says necessary due to lack of supply. Looooong summer ahead


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## MaidenScotland

And yet billboards by the thousand are lit up and new ones seem to go up everyday, those mult icoloured lights are everywhere for nothing more than ornamental reasons.


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## Sonrisa

Sonrisa said:


> We have had them for a while in Maadi. The last about an hour. Sometimes once, twice or even three times a day. Really very annoying.


What a concidence... Around five seconds after i wrote this post, bang, power cut. The electricity just came back, so it has lasted more or less one hour, again.


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## Gounie

Back to blackouts - Daily News Egypt

Quote from the above link:

“Electric stations in Egypt are unable to withstand high temperatures, and must be shut down to avoid burning out.”


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## jemiljan

aykalam said:


> Electricity Minister has apologized for power cuts last night, says necessary due to lack of supply. Looooong summer ahead


Thanks, but where did you see that announcement?


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## aykalam

After power cuts, Egypt govt calls on citizens to ration electricity - Economy - Business - Ahram Online


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## Biffy

Even in 6th October (where we seem to have got off lightly in the past) - we are experiencing these poweer cuts.
3 times this week the power has gone off at between 8 and 9 pm for around 11/2 hours.

And yesterday during the day also - for about 2 hours.

Ditto it's going to be a long (and very hot) summer.

(but I do wish they would wait to flick the switch to off until my 2 youngest children have gone to sleep - they won't go to sleep when the lights are off becuase it's scary!!! Go figure. Have tried to tell them it's only the same as having your eyes closed.)


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## charleen

I am so glad we had our girl sleeping in the dark from day one. Now that she has our little dog sleeping with her in the bedroom she even shuts the door to keep him in...so electricity or not...she sleeps. Which is good cause in sherouk we are in the dark a lot at night..winter or summer.


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## jemiljan

aykalam said:


> After power cuts, Egypt govt calls on citizens to ration electricity - Economy - Business - Ahram Online


Good, I was starting to get worried about the governmet "rationalising" electricity, as mentioned the other article that Gouna posted. Lol!


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## Biffy

My children sleep with the lights off in the bedroom - but if we have a power cut - they won't go to sleep!!
'It's scary.'

Just had another 1 1/2 hrs - delightful.


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## hurghadapat

Not much consolation i know but it's not just Cairo that's suffering...Hurghada and Luxor also are having power cuts and the temps are hotter there than in Cairo...especially Luxor :flame:


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## aykalam

this at Cairo airport 

Power outage at Cairo airport | Egypt Independent


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## aykalam

Imaging arriving for your dream holiday only to have to find your way out of the terminal by mobile-light


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## Sonrisa

Though it might be unrelated to the thread, but something has been bothering me ...my dauther was supposed to have her piAno lesson today, which by the way, its a digital (electric) piano. I sent a sms this afternoon to the teacher asking him to cancel todays lesson due to the likehood of a power cut that would made the lesson impossible. 

So he replies insisting that he will be in the area and we might as welll give it a try today at seven. When he comes I always leave him an envelope with the lesson payment by the piano. So, like ten minutes into the lesson, bang, the electricity goes off. Teacher says lesson is over, and that I should get a battery operated keyboard for when this happens, and off he goes with the envelope in his pocket...

is that right, I feel really silly that I let him go with an envelope that he obviously didnt earn, but dont this egyptian people have any sense of integrity at all?


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## aykalam

Sonrisa said:


> Though it might be unrelated to the thread, but something has been bothering me ...my dauther was supposed to have her piAno lesson today, which by the way, its a digital (electric) piano. I sent a sms this afternoon to the teacher asking him to cancel todays lesson due to the likehood of a power cut that would made the lesson impossible.
> 
> So he replies insisting that he will be in the area and we might as welll give it a try today at seven. When he comes I always leave him an envelope with the lesson payment by the piano. So, like ten minutes into the lesson, bang, the electricity goes off. Teacher says lesson is over, and that I should get a battery operated keyboard for when this happens, and off he goes with the envelope in his pocket...
> 
> is that right, I feel really silly that I let him go with an envelope that he obviously didnt earn, but dont this egyptian people have any sense of integrity at all?


there will not be a single day where anybody can guarantee electricity to run, at least for the remainder of the summer. I say sack the teacher now


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## Sonrisa

aykalam said:


> there will not be a single day where anybody can guarantee electricity to run, at least for the remainder of the summer. I say sack the teacher now


Yes, i think thats exactly what i will do, thank you Aykalam


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## MaidenScotland

Parts of Zamalek were in darkness last night and still the billboards shone brightly, the coloured lights strung across the streets for parties were still swinging in the breeze. 

Egyptians will never ration their usage of electricity themselves as quite simply they are too selfish to think of others, it will be up to someone else to save power it won't apply to them 
It is of course the rich and middle class who use the power, the poor don't have air con units, tvs in all the bedrooms computers, fridge freezers.. their needs are pretty low wattage,


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## jemiljan

I was astonished at how Turkey is using both massive amounts of passive solar (nearly every building in Konya had a passive water heater on the roof) and LED lights. 

If the government here simply exchanged the 50 watt halogen bulbs used in recessed lighting with 1-3 watt LED lights (which can last for a decade) in all government buildings, that alone would reduce a tremendous strain on the grid, since it not only wastes power, but generates a ridiculous amount of heat.


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## MaidenScotland

Many many many years ago all the Greek islands used solar power, all the hotels had solar panels on the roof. I often used to wonder why it had not taken off in the other Med countries.


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## jemiljan

MaidenScotland said:


> Many many many years ago all the Greek islands used solar power, all the hotels had solar panels on the roof. I often used to wonder why it had not taken off in the other Med countries.


Easy answer: cheap petroleum, and the companies who sold it used their influence to block governments from adopting anything sensible, because it would hurt their profit margins.


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## canuck2010

aykalam said:


> there will not be a single day where anybody can guarantee electricity to run, at least for the remainder of the summer. I say sack the teacher now


A bit harsh to fire the guy isn't it? He probably has a family to feed just like everyone else. Perhaps it would have been better just to pay him half the money.


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## MaidenScotland

jemiljan said:


> Easy answer: cheap petroleum, and the companies who sold it used their influence to block governments from adopting anything sensible, because it would hurt their profit margins.




It's only easy if you know.. and obviously I didn't


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## MaidenScotland

Solimanaya also constant power cuts..


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## MaidenScotland

Now we all know that frozen food melts and is re frozen, I have lost count the number of times I have seen it done in Carrefour, so what about the little shops no way will they throw out defrosted food.. What about your own freezer full of food when you go away on holiday!


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## aykalam

canuck2010 said:


> A bit harsh to fire the guy isn't it? He probably has a family to feed just like everyone else. Perhaps it would have been better just to pay him half the money.


That guy knew exactly what could happen when he insisted he would teach even though Sonrisa asked him not to. He ripped her off and he'll try again. I have no sympathy for thieves.


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## aykalam

MaidenScotland said:


> Now we all know that frozen food melts and is re frozen, I have lost count the number of times I have seen it done in Carrefour, so what about the little shops no way will they throw out defrosted food.. What about your own freezer full of food when you go away on holiday!


I'm living my husband behind to look after the freezer


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## CAIRODEMON

jemiljan said:


> Easy answer: cheap petroleum, and the companies who sold it used their influence to block governments from adopting anything sensible, because it would hurt their profit margins.



Cheap petroleum where? Not in most Med countries, have you ever bought petrol in Turkey?

Also, wouldn't selling the product cheaply, by definition, hurt their profit margins?


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## hurghadapat

MaidenScotland said:


> Now we all know that frozen food melts and is re frozen, I have lost count the number of times I have seen it done in Carrefour, so what about the little shops no way will they throw out defrosted food.. What about your own freezer full of food when you go away on holiday!


Food in a full freezer is quite safe for about 48hrs so long as you don't open it and if half full 24hrs....so keep your freezers full


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## hurghadapat

aykalam said:


> That guy knew exactly what could happen when he insisted he would teach even though Sonrisa asked him not to. He ripped her off and he'll try again. I have no sympathy for thieves.


Most Egyptians do extra jobs to supplement the extremely low wages that most of them earn in their day jobs so i also think that to sack him is a bit harsh....i used to pay for my Arabic lessons a month at a time,so wether i had them or not i didn't get or expect a rebate.


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## aykalam

again, low income is no excuse for low morals


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## MaidenScotland

A huge part of this countries problems are that people think it is acceptable to rip and be ripped off. 

There is no way I would be paying for something I didn't get in the west so why should it be acceptable here? 

Every month I have a guy who comes to service my dumb waiter.. it is only 74 pounds, and at the end of every year he comes and hands me to two receipts and tells me that I have only paid for 11 months, of course I pay in advance the fact that he has only turned up 11 times never seems to get through. January 2012 he turned up on the 4th.. I told him he must always come the first week of the month, but in June he didn't turn up until the 27th.. and then wants to turn up again on the 4th, one week later!. January 2013 he turned up on the 29th. and once again at the end of the year we will have an argument when he tells me that I have only paid 11 times.

I am here to earn money, if I don't go to work I don't get paid.


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## jemiljan

hurghadapat said:


> Food in a full freezer is quite safe for about 48hrs so long as you don't open it and if half full 24hrs....so keep your freezers full


The same is true of keeping your fridge full, even if just putting water bottles in it. So fill up your freezer and fridge with as many water bottles as you can manage, but without overfilling so that the air doesn't circulate properly. Doing this will also help to reduce power consumption, as it costs more to keep an empty space cold than a filled one.


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## Sonrisa

... i think my post deserves a separate thread...

i still havent fully decided what to do. My daughter really likes her piano lessons.


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## aykalam

It may also be wise to avoid lifts...


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## Gounie

Just watched 'Strip The City' - Dubai on Discovery HD. Fascinating program. Makes you wonder about power cuts there!!!


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## DeadGuy

canuck2010 said:


> A bit harsh to fire the guy isn't it? He probably has a family to feed just like everyone else. Perhaps it would have been better just to pay him half the money.


A decent person would never accept money that he/she did not work for.........Mind you using that money to "feed" his family........

Besides.............I don't know the lady, but unless she robs banks for a living, then she's better off spending the money feeding her own family! She works hard to get the money, no one should just come and suck money out of her just because they think she can afford it..........And it sounds like he was just in the area, so he didn't even deserve the transportation money 

Anyway, back to the main topic..........Minimum 2 power cuts per day where I live, what's really annoying is how quickly the power goes off right after coming back.......Not healthy for any of the electrical appliances that I got, or my BP


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## canuck2010

Regarding Piano man. Of course, if the guy is scamming that is terrible. However, on the other hand, if he is a really good a what he does, he might be hard to replace. If the envelop was left for him with payment, and he was allowed to take it, how is he to assume he was supposed to give some of it back? The unspoken rule here is once money has changed hands, the time for negotiation is over. 

No powercuts here in Maadi so far.


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## MaidenScotland

aykalam said:


> It may also be wise to avoid lifts...




my office is on the 17th floor


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## hurghadapat

MaidenScotland said:


> my office is on the 17th floor



Lol..and i would walk every step...hate lifts at the best of times and even more so in egypt with power going on and off.


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## MaidenScotland

hurghadapat said:


> Lol..and i would walk every step...hate lifts at the best of times and even more so in egypt with power going on and off.



I will remind you of that when I hear you huffing and puffing as you go to bed.


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## hurghadapat

MaidenScotland said:


> I will remind you of that when I hear you huffing and puffing as you go to bed.


Lol...who me...never


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## aykalam

MaidenScotland said:


> my office is on the 17th floor


:spit:

ok, I guess I should have said "avoid lifts where feasible".

on the other hand, it'd be good exercise


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## aykalam

Egyptian activists have launched online campaigns to withhold paying electricity bills in protest against frequent power cuts, which the government says is due to fuel shortages.


The campaigns called on citizens to not pay for "a service they don't get."

Several protests took place in a number of Egyptian governorates by citizens angry at the power cuts disrupting their work, adding further reasons for President Mohamed Morsi and his government to worry over falling popularity.

Local media criticised the government for not ending the week-long problem.

"It's all dark, government," read the main headline of the newspaper of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), from which President Mohamed Morsi and eight ministers in the cabinet hail. Another headline by Al-Watan independent newspaper read "The rebellion of darkness against the government."

The spate of irregular daytime blackouts are part of the electricity ministry plans to conserve power during Egypt's hottest months from May to August.

more here

Egyptians launch campaigns against paying electricity bills amid power crisis - Economy - Business - Ahram Online


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## Sonrisa

canuck2010 said:


> Regarding Piano man. Of course, if the guy is scamming that is terrible. However, on the other hand, if he is a really good a what he does, he might be hard to replace. If the envelop was left for him with payment, and he was allowed to take it, how is he to assume he was supposed to give some of it back? The unspoken rule here is once money has changed hands, the time for negotiation is over.
> 
> No powercuts here in Maadi so far.


Its all my fault... Since September, he has been coming to my house to give lessons twice per week, and I gave him my trust, not only with the envelope at the beginning of each lesson, but also trusted his commitment to teaching my daughter something that she is passionate about. I trusted that he would complete each lesson before taking his payment.
He could still hAve continued his lesson with some sight reading, theory etc. I gave them a couple of flashlights, not ideal, but better than nothing. Instead he chose to wAlk away with the envelope. 
Its not the money I care about. Its the trust. I cant have someone twice per week to sit with my dauther, if there is no trust.


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## charleen

Sooo the power was out in sherouk from 11am til about 3pm.....that sucked.


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## MaidenScotland

charleen said:


> Sooo the power was out in sherouk from 11am til about 3pm.....that sucked.




and yet I have just read the newspaper. No power shortages since Friday/


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## jemiljan

MaidenScotland said:


> and yet I have just read the newspaper. No power shortages since Friday/


...and yet it actually didn't go out here in Maadi... for a change!


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## MaidenScotland

2 power outs in Maadi yesterday...


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## jemiljan

MaidenScotland said:


> 2 power outs in Maadi yesterday...


Well, at least not where I live in Sakanat, nor at my colleague's in Degla.


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## MaidenScotland

From a Maadi friends facebook last night No power cut on Friday? Hmm. Two today though.


I have had a power cut this morning..


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## aykalam

this morning I was queuing to pay for my shopping at Metro when power was cut. It seems to have become part and parcel of living in Egypt, unfortunately. Good to see staff doing what they could to serve customers, and customers waiting patiently. We are all on the same boat...


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## jemiljan

I saw this battery-powered fan offered on Souq.com, but wondered if any of you have seen this thing or something similar?

It says that it is rechargeable, has 2 speeds, 3-14 inch blades, and that will run for up 6 hours if the power is cut.


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## MaidenScotland

Yesterday I awoke to two huge flood lit advertising boards that had been erected overnight.. seems there is enough power for some things.

No one asked us if we objected to these monstrosities.. the building opposite me has two on roof and 3 surrounding brightly lit board.. they don't need to switch on their sitting room light these must light up the whole building,


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## aykalam

and in the meantime, AUC New Cairo had to close due to power shortages 

AUC New Cairo campus closed on power shortages - Daily News Egypt


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## MaidenScotland

Imagine walking up to find this on your doorstep.


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## Biffy

we have had no electricity cuts for a week now - but i did notice that the trucks were queued up at the petrol station waiting for solar again (it must all have been diverted to the power stations).


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