The same refrain returns again and again, like a scratched old vinyl record. The Antananarivo Interconnected Network (RIA) has now shifted to a rolling blackout mode.
Jirama announced early this afternoon that almost all neighborhoods in the capital and its surrounding areas will face 90-minute power cuts. While officials have been evasive about the term “load shedding” in recent weeks, the reality of persistent power outages has made the term unavoidable.
In a statement, the national water and electricity company cited low water levels at the Andekaleka dam and logistical delays in fuel supply for the Ambohimanambola thermal power plant as the primary causes. These technical constraints have led to a production deficit of approximately 25 MW.
Jirama stated that it is implementing these 90-minute rolling cuts until 5:30 PM to balance the grid. These excuses are all too familiar to users, who have heard them every dry season for years. The company is now considering emergency solutions, such as artificial rain over Andekaleka this weekend, a costly operation estimated at 60 million ariary per site.
Meanwhile, Madagascar’s vast renewable energy potential remains largely untapped. The Volobe II project is stalled by financial hurdles, while solar and wind energy remain luxuries accessible only to private operators and the elite. Despite the African Development Bank and IMF estimating the country’s hydroelectric potential at over 7.8 gigawatts, less than 2% is currently utilized. As the saying goes, the country is “thirsty while sitting on a boat”—rich in resources but suffering from chronic energy shortages.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-22 06:27:18 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/et-cest-reparti-pour-un-tour.html