Egypt is taking steps to address the problem of frequent power cuts in its cities, especially during the hot summer months. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has announced that the country will need to import around $1.18 billion worth of mazut fuel oil and natural gas to stabilize the energy supply and end the blackouts by late July.
In a recent speech, Madbouly stated that the government has already signed contracts for 300,000 tonnes of mazut, valued at approximately $180 million, to boost its strategic reserves. These reserves are expected to arrive early next week, providing much-needed support to the national power grid.
Due to increased electricity usage during the current heat wave, the government has extended daily power cuts from two hours to three, which is expected to last until the end of June. However, these cuts are anticipated to revert to two hours in early July, with plans to eliminate them entirely for the rest of the summer.
The impact of these power cuts has been felt deeply, with many people expressing their frustrations on social media. Some individuals have even resorted to purchasing private power generators. Students preparing for exams and small business owners have been particularly affected, with some finding alternative solutions such as studying in coffee shops or converting public spaces into study areas.
These power cuts are part of a larger energy problem that began over a year ago. Load shedding, caused by a drop in gas production and high demand along with a shortage of foreign currency, has led to scheduled power cuts across most areas. Madbouly explained that the issue is not with power generation or the network, but with the availability of fuel.
Additionally, Madbouly mentioned an unscheduled halt in gas production at a field in a neighboring country, which lasted for 12 hours and worsened the supply issues, although he did not specify the country or the gas field involved. Furthermore, a local company, Egypt’s Abu Qir Fertilizers, reported that three of its plants had to cease production due to the interrupted supply of natural gas.
As Egypt deals with these challenges, the government’s immediate focus is on ensuring the timely arrival and integration of the imported fuels into the national energy grid. This is seen as an important step towards stabilizing the energy supply and providing a reliable power supply to support the nation’s development and growing population.
