Madagascar: Further protests triggered by increased power cuts likely nationwide, through at least late-August

Ongoing power shortages will likely generate further protest incidents in Madagascar through at least late August. The Jirama, Madagascar's national electricity utility, recently reported a drop in electricity production following an incident at the Andekaleka hydropower plant and low water levels. The nature of the incident is unclear. The utility has reportedly resumed rolling power cuts, lasting from three to four hours daily. Lack of power has also limited the provision of water in some areas of the capital. For further updates on ongoing shortages and affected locations, please click here. Sporadic protests against the ongoing power and water shortages have occurred in Antananarivo, especially in the "Cite des 67Ha" area in western Antananarivo, where outages have lasted beyond the planned schedule. Residents have been seen gathering at nightfall during the outages.

Further protests and localized disruptions are likely in the coming weeks as the utility continues to implement power cuts. In the event of gatherings, increased security is likely. Clashes between residents and security forces remain possible. Temporary commercial and communications disruptions are likely during power outages; cellular and mobile services could be affected. Traffic disruptions and longer driving times are possible during these periods due to malfunctioning traffic signals. Trains may also experience delays if outages impact signaling devices or overhead wires. Power outages could also result in temporarily unavailable essential services such as ATMs and filling stations. There is an increased security threat during power outages. Blackouts could adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during electricity outages.