Residents of Baw La Khe Township, Karenni State are happy because they will receive 24 hours electricity supply but at the same time they are worried about the doubling of costs they will incur for electric meters, said a local in Baw La Khe.

"Here, people are now getting electricity from a generator from 6 pm to 10:30 pm daily. The monthly cost for the electric meter is 1,800 Kyat. The cost is likely to double or triple," he added.
 
Homes, which already had meter boxes, will need to pay 100,000 Kyat for a connection. The ones, which didn't have meter boxes, have applied for them.  Locals are desperate for electricity supply but they cannot afford the costs. Besides, locals are also disappointed given the rumour that the meter costs will double, said a local from Nang Phe village.
 
The Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein monitored this electricity project when he toured Baw La Khe in March. It is a 33 kilo volt grid line. The project will be set up by the end of October 2009, said a teacher in Baw La Khe.
 
Lamp posts were set up in Daw Khalite Linn village, near Ngwe Taung Pagoda hill, De Maw Hso Township on June 6, 2009. The grid line has started from Law Pi Ta hydropower plant and runs parallel to the Yangon Mega grid line.
 
"White elephant brand concrete lamp posts have been brought by 10 wheel trucks. They were kept in Pharu Hso Township," said a person from a social welfare group.
 
However, the Law Pi Ta hydropower plant, located in Karenni State, generates electricity for the entire nation for many years. Karenni State is going to receive electricity supply in the near future. However, locals are worried because they have to pay the costs for electric meter and lamp posts.
 
A member of the Burma Issue said the locals feel supply of electricity is being arranged to woo the electorate for the forthcoming 2010 general elections.. The authorities had earlier made many promises but failed to live up to it.