POWER UP TO THE PEOPLE

WHILE the Balearic government, power company GESA and central government in Madrid thrash out what to do about the Balearic power situation, the local government yesterday launched a summer electricity saving campaign in Catalan “Neither less, not more, just enough” in a bid to try and get the local population to save power. The campaign recommends that air conditioning systems are kept to a minimum of 25ºC, that freezers are defrosted less often, that warm water is used in washing machines and that electricity saving domestic appliances are bought. According to the Balearic Energy Minister, 25ºC is a “comfortable” temperature and that, for example by buying energy saving fridges of ones that cost a few thousand pesetas less “after six months the difference will be shown in the electricity bills.” The Minister also asked people to turn off unnecessary lights and make full use of day light where possible. The Minister for Energy, Misericordia Ramón, also said yesterday that the government is prepared to approve plans to lay a second power supply line in Majorca “in order to ease the pressure of the fragile sub-station at Llubi” which was the cause of the island-wide power cut a month ago. Ramon warned yesterday that any form of fault at the Llubi sub-station has serious consequences for the whole island and even Minorca and he believes that there is an adequate argument in favour of a second power supply line.