A considerable number of Pyongyang citizens residing in high-rise apartment buildings with central heating systems are leaving their homes to live with relatives or other residents during the cold winter season. They are evacuating their apartments to other homes that are normally heated with briquettes or solar panels, due to insufficient heat and hot water.
A Daily NK source in South Pyongan Province reported on January 18 that as the winter cold has taken over, Pyongyang citizens living in high-rise apartments are sealing their homes and leaving because there is not enough hot water, making it difficult to live.
“The boiler systems in these high-rise buildings were constructed during the Chollima campaign decades ago, and are completely paralyzed. All the iron structures for producing hot water have corroded and water isn’t circulating,” he added.
“Despite the proximity of the thermal power plant, most apartments in Pyongchon District can’t even get cold water properly supplied [due to being frozen over]. Therefore, most residents move into their relatives’ homes or to temporary residences which can be heated by briquettes.”
According to the source, heating systems in Pyongyang circulate hot water produced by the thermal power plant. This water is pumped into apartments as a benefit for living in the capital, whose residents enjoy relatively higher standards of living. However, as the thermal power plant is not being properly operated, many apartment residents are experiencing issues including frostbite.
Activity at the thermal power plants improved briefly after more anthracite originally earmarked for export became available domestically, but operations have stopped again as coal exports have been on the rise.
As a result, even cadres have begun discreetly renovating their apartments, installing partitions to heat their homes with domestically-available coal. But most residents are reluctant to renovate their homes in such ways, worrying about safety issues like carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Those apartment residents who did not renovate their houses will all move into their relatives’ homes, which are heated with solar panels, this winter,” added a source in Pyongyang.
“There are even crowds of middlemen waiting under the Taedong Bridge to introduce houses to residents who don’t have relatives. The brokers introduce temporary houses to people in exchange for money, and this service is available until it gets warmer in March or April.”
