Electricity's power

I had an unusual experience last night. I watched a film (on tv) that was scheduled to run past 11pm, and I was able to watch it all the way to the credits.... We had 'city power' - and not only until well past midnight, but on waking up this morning, the electricity was still 'on'. This normally only happens when it is a national holiday. For a while now we have been on a regular schedule of having city power every other evening - usually from around 4-5pm until 11pm. The other nights we run a noisy generator and switch it off at 11pm. Electricity is mostly generated by hydro plants on the fast flowing rivers around the country. So as the snow melts and the spring rains come, the availability of electricity increases. The authorities have said that in 10-15 days we will have 24-hour power... I don't quite believe it, but if it happens it will be wonderful. Though at first, I'm sure it will lead to me sleeping less - as I find that I don't really check the time - but instead wait for the power cut to tell me when it was time to go to bed.

Apart from the individual benefits having 24-hour power brings, it may help the general feeling within Afghanistan - as the erratic electricity supply is cited by most Afghans as an example of the lack of development and leads them to ask the question of where has all the donor money gone, if one of the basic utilities cannot be provided in the capital city? I hope that it is true and that we will get 24-hour power in the coming days - not so I can sit up all night and watch tv - but so the average Afghan can begin to feel some of the peace dividend that for many is currently lacking in their daily lives.