For the last month, we have had heroes who have sacrificed their time with family and rest to make sure that they have been able to repair the power grid. They have worn overalls and not capes.

The hard-working staff of the Electric Power Corporation have been spending more time fixing the faults than they have spent time with their families. They have sacrificed more than most people in Samoa would ever know.

 From working shifts more than 12 hours a day to taking those steps that require a person to come in contact with high voltage wires. The people who feel the power outages have nothing but good words for the power company without ever realising the hard work it requires for a person to climb that ladder and face death in the eyes.

Working with high-voltage lines is not a simple task. One mistake could lead to the loss of lives and disruptions to many families. We have to acknowledge the sacrifice that has been made, not only by the employees but by their family members as well. In the current situation, many are away from home hours.

The nation needs to realise that we have people who are working hard to restore power and do maintenance work on the generators. Without these people, we will be a nation that would be lost to darkness.

While we have these hardworking people putting their lives on the line daily, there are many things that businesses and private individuals can do to help with the current situation that we are faced with. All commercial entities that have their generators can help reduce the load on the grid. This could be helpful in the long run.

People have to take off their hats to their families as well. The wives and children of the many men who know that their loved ones are going to work for hours so they could hep the nation have to be commended too for their understanding. The employees are doing extra hours, pulling extra shifts and at times staying away from home so that they can help the nation return to normalcy.

From what we have heard from the national power supplier, this situation will continue for months to come and many families will make the sacrifice throughout the year. There will be some who will have to deal with the absence of a loved one for months to come. The spouses of the employees need to be acknowledged as well. They will be holding the fort on the household side of things while their better halves help restore power to the nation.

The businesses that have generators can help take the load off the grid if they run their generators. In the long run, running the generators could be a better option for many companies facing constant power cuts. Some businesses have found that power through generators is cheaper than relying on EPC.

The current predicament has also brought out the fact that commercial entities can play an important role in reducing the load off the grid. Companies that generators can help. They can run their generators during the day or business hours and help take the load off the EPC. Right now, we know that the national power supplier cannot meet the demand.

This, coupled with the lack of maintenance on key machines has resulted in the situation that the nation is faced with today. This is a situation that we will be faced with for many months to come. Let us face it, generators all over the country have gone bad. This means that there is a real need to look at alternative power sources.

District councils with funds can invest in solar lights for villages that will keep communal pathways lit. Families can look into solar panels for lighting and other uses. In the long run, many will realise that renewable energy is the way to go.

The national power supplier also needs to ensure that all those employees working long hours to get the nation back to where it was are paid according to the hours they have worked and everyone gets enough rest.

Thank you EPC workers.