Edward Mills

Failing power supply raises hot questions

By Edward Mills (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-25 08:49

Stifling heat outside, blissfully cool inside - this was the extent of the recent heat wave to the majority of us well air-conditioned Beijingers.

During this period, the temperature regularly clocked around 40C. Venturing outside during the day was off the cards for all but essential movement for anyone who could avoid it and anyone unfortunate enough to not possess air-conditioning was likely roasted.

Against this backdrop, many areas of the city were plunged into darkness as working hours concluded. With so many citizens using electricity-hungry cooling units, the power grid simply couldn't cope.

Or could it? Looking out the window during one of the inevitable periods of darkness, it was clear that many other apartment blocks did not suffer the same fate: The majority within the CBD seemed perfectly normal.

Some apartment blocks clearly stood out in the depths of their darkness, like a beacon of desperation in the excessively heated climate.

Many residents of one of the more "famous" communities south of Guomao complained about the interruption of the power when it was most needed.

It could be said these citizens were over-reacting: Minor power cuts can't be considered unusual around the world, let alone in China, during periods of extreme heat - even in the nation's capital city.

But one does sympathize, considering the fact that fellow citizens just down the road were basking in the cool air and the uninterrupted power their apartment complex provided.

Indeed, Chinese Internet forum users had their own theories as to why the power mysteriously failed in some areas while others nearby seemed unaffected - unscrupulous developers.

They are not an unfamiliar target for Beijing's citizens. Developers are routinely blamed for practically all of our social and societal ills and one feels the netizens' rage is often warranted.

Buildings go up (and come down) at an alarming pace in this city and the propensity of greedy developers to cut corners by using substandard materials or building practices is seemingly not that unusual.

In the particular case mentioned above, faulty and crude wiring was blamed by the Web users for the blackout. Whilst the truth is likely only known to the management company itself, it is clear that there is some truth in the netizens' assertion: The apology posted within the complex suggests they are working on a fix so the problem never occurs again.

Luckily for those of us living within this community, our management company has faced up to this problem and is seeking to rectify it, but the fact remains that quantity is hugely valued over quality by some developers.

It's easy to understand how shortcuts evolve into headaches for those in residential complexes or unforeseen conditions, such as the heat, can see poor building planning exposed to the citizens' frustration.

Clearly, as Yu Hongsheng, director of the Urbanization Research Center under the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences stated: "The rush for speed and pursuit of maximum economic interests are to blame."

Improvements in building quality is essential for sustainability in the housing sector and events such as the recent heat wave highlight the fact that the problems impact on even the so-called "famous communities" as well.

(China Daily 08/25/2010)