As Egypt is struck by increasingly frequent heat waves and Ramadan commences, residents of the area around Sohag, Upper Egypt, have experienced severe power outages in recent weeks.
Angry villagers have taken their complaints to the Electricity Ministry, citing sporadic power cuts occuring throughout the day and a generally weak electric current that prevents them from using electric devices.
They criticized the ministry for cutting electricity during a period of sweltering summer heat that has coincided with high school public exams. They accused officials of making false statements about having a surplus of electricity production and being in no need of cutting power to reduce consumption.
In Shattoura village, citizens said that due to the power cuts they are suffering from the heat now the month of Muslim fasting has begun. On Saturday, the power went for 14 hours, they reported, in an outage that stretched from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The villagers added that the power outage cut off the water supply to the village, as local water stations rely on electricity. They performed prayers at the mosque by candlelight.
Similarly, residents of al-Hadeeqa village spoke of power cuts reoccurring three times a day for around 90 minutes each time, adding that the cuts have been witnessed in around 20 villages, not including the city of Tama.
Deputy Governor of Sohag, Medhat Eid, told Al-Masry Al-Youm: “The main reason behind the power outages in the province is the worn out electricity transmission lines to the villages that use old wires and pylons.”
He said that upon taking office he had notified the governor and electricity company officials about these issues.
The main problem with electricity in Sohag, according to Eid, is that residential developments are expanding at a much faster rate than in other provinces, which is increasing electricity consumption by 10-12 percent per annum, putting huge pressure on supply.
He stated that to solve the problem, mobile electricity transformers are required.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
