Ajman residents continue to rely on diesel generators for power

Residents are still relying on expensive and noisy diesel generators to provide electricity.

AJMAN // Residents in Ajman remain reliant on costly and polluting diesel generators for their energy needs six years after the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) failed to supply power to new residential and commercial buildings.

Mohammad Ahmad, a civil engineer who owns three buildings in the emirate, said although the situation had improved, problems still persisted because Fewa was struggling to keep pace with development in the emirate.

Mr Ahmad uses diesel generators to provide power to two of his buildings, while Fewa supplies energy to the third.

“The construction of my buildings was completed five years ago, and since then I had sent a request to Fewa to supply them all with electricity,” said Mr Ahmad. “I always check with them, but don’t get any answer from them.”

The cost of using the generators is up to six times that of what Fewa charges a month, Mr Ahmad said.

“The average use of electricity for a one-bedroom apartment is 1,000 kilowatts,” he said. “If this gets electricity from a generator, its monthly bill costs Dh1,200. If it is supplied by Fewa, it costs Dh200 a month.”

Aside from the higher cost of using diesel generators, residents have to put up with the noise and fumes that result from the round-the-clock use of the generators.

People who live near the generators are especially affected.

Mahmoud Taha, a Moroccan civil engineer who has lived in Ajman for 10 years, said neighbours who live on the first and fourth floors of his building in Rashidiya are bothered by the noise from the generators.

“In our balcony we can’t put out pots of plants, hang the laundry, have a barbecue or enjoy a coffee and smoke shisha because of the noise and smoke,” said the 26-year-old, who lives in a second-floor flat.

Mr Taha, whose building does not use generators but is near to several that do, said the use of diesel generators in residential areas was hurting the environment and the health of residents.

“Diesel will poison the soil, which will pollute groundwater and negatively affect human respiration,” he said, adding that five to six buildings beside his use diesel generators. “We have been facing this problem for four years,” he said.

Firas Youseef, a 26-year-old Palestinian who has lived in Ajman for five years, lamented the regular power cuts, because the diesel generators have not always been reliable and they often run out of fuel.

After four years of relying on generators, his home in Al Sewan was finally connected to Fewa about one year ago.

“The electricity bill from using a generator was Dh1,200 to Dh1,400, but I now pay about Dh900 to Dh1,100 by using Fewa,” he said.

Mohammed Saleh, the director general of Fewa, said the problem with providing electricity to new buildings in the emirate was close to being resolved because Fewa was putting in place the necessary infrastructure.

“The [whole] problem will be solved soon, and most of the buildings in Ajman are getting electricity from Fewa, except a few that are waiting their turn,” he said.