The Hawassa branch of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) is to pay compensation to close to 300 households and a private company, Awassa Greenwood Plc, for damages related to sudden power surges, two weeks ago. Awassa Greenwood Plc, a flower grower and exporter located on the outskirts of Hawassa town, 273Km south of Addis Abeba, has stopped work because of damages to its offices and facilities that resulted in a fire following the surge. “We have checked the damages and confirmed that the charges were filed within 24 hours of the damages,” said Zeleke Kebede, Public Communication Desk head of EEPCo’s branch office. “We only pay compensation to residents with title deeds.” “The fire spread at Greenwood because they use metal sheets for fences,” he added. Residents of rented houses in the town are also demanding compensation; however, there are fears that they may be excluded because they do not have any title deeds for the places they reside in. “We should b