EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s been a while since BBC has stopped reporting any serious news about Ethiopia. Its correspondent in Addis Ababa reports about such news as energy-saving light bulbs while ignoring all serious political developments around her for fear of being expelled from the country.
Addis Ababa (BBC) – Ethiopians are rushing to get their hands on free energy-saving light bulbs which are being handed out by a utility to stop power cuts.
Four million low-energy light bulbs are being given away in exchange for old-style incandescent ones by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation.
Nearly all Ethiopia’s electricity comes from hydro-power. But without rain the dams cannot fill and the lights go out.
The new bulbs will cut peoples’ power bills and are supposed to last longer.
The BBC’s Elizabeth Blunt says the light bulb swap was in full swing when she visited the utility’s offices in the capital Addis Ababa.
But our correspondent says the snag is that when the new bulbs wear out, customers will find they cost about six times as much as the old ones to replace.