MENA House: From Saving Energy to an Egyptian Blackout

The Ministry of Electricity and Energy recently decided to cut electricity use in Egypt by 50%. However, nature and "over-consumption" on the national grid system may have accelerated the cause.

High temperatures and an overload on the national grid system caused a blackout in seven Governates in Upper Egypt. Dr. Aktham Abu al Ola, First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity, blamed the outage on recent temperatures of almost 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) and an excess load on the electricity network of more than 23,000 megawatts, which is at its highest level in Egypt.

MENA House: Egypt as “A Nation Without Trust”?

Naga Hammadi, Qena, and The New Valley Governorate all experienced power cuts. Mubarak International Airport also suffered blackouts lasting up to an hour, causing severe disruption. The Red Sea resorts of Hurghada, Sahel Hasheesh, and Safaga were affecting, with the loss of large quantities of food, affecting the tourist industry.

Experts from the Egyptian Electrcity Holding Company are calling for immediate improvements in provision of electricity and energy to the surrounding regions. There is, however, a possibility of further power cuts due to temperatures and holidays. With the holy month of Ramadan soon beginning, there is an urgency in the search for "non-traditional" methods to reduce chances of further disruptions.

When the Ministry of Electricity and Energy sought a significant reduction of energy to meet "international standards", they may have gotten more than they bargained for.

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