Residents of Kalay, Sagaing Region, are facing significant hardship as the military junta demands payment for electricity bills accumulated over two years, despite the town enduring a prolonged power outage during that entire period.
Local sources indicate that electricity department staff are aggressively pursuing these arrears after re-establishing control over the township, threatening to confiscate meter boxes from households that fail to pay.
The collection of outstanding electricity bills, which had ceased after the military coup due to the activities of revolutionary forces, has now resumed with enforcement actions already underway.
A resident stated to Mizzima that grid power has been out for years, and the accumulated bills are being arbitrarily calculated by authorities. The resident emphasized that the meter boxes were originally purchased by the homeowners themselves, arguing that the authorities have no legal right to confiscate them.
The power disruption in Kalay began over two years ago after a 66 KV power line, supplying electricity to the southern part of the town, was damaged during an aerial attack by the junta. With no access to grid electricity, residents have been forced to rely on solar panels and generators. They contend that demanding payment for a period without any electricity service is unacceptable.
Many households in Kalay have outstanding electricity debts, with some owing upward of 1,000,000 Myanmar Kyats, exacerbating financial difficulties for lower-income families.
Another resident recounted having their meter box removed after being unable to pay 500,000 Kyats, half of their 1,000,000 Kyat debt, as demanded by authorities. The resident noted that staff warned others that their meter boxes would also be removed if they failed to pay, despite the lack of electricity supply.
Local residents suggest that the military junta and its administrative staff, who were previously unable to collect meter fees due to the activities of revolutionary forces, are now aggressively pursuing these arrears after re-establishing control over the township.
