PARAMARIBO – The Energy Company Suriname (EBS)recently urged the nation to cut back on the consumption of electricity in order to prevent load shedding. It also urged its clients to be thrifty with electricity from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. It is the second time this year that the EBS has made it clear that it is necessary to minimize electricity consumption. The EBS explained that due to the persisting drought the production of hydro energy has dropped which is why the company has become more dependent on its thermal power stations who are currently operating at full capacity. On the other hand the consumption of electricity has increased drastically in the EPAR territory which covers the districts, Paramaribo, Wanica, Commewijne, Saramacca, Para and Brokopondo. The situation has reached the point where the limited capacity to produce electricity will result in load shedding in case a thermal unit goes offline. The EBS made it clear that air-conditioning units are the biggest guzzlers of electricity especially when they are used inefficiently…[+]