An official source at the Petroleum Ministry denied reports that power could be cut due to a gas shortage after an alleged breakdown in the Borollos gas field in Kafr al-Sheikh, the main gas source for major power plants.
The source also denied that the Borollos gas field had stopped operations.
Earlier on Thursday sources from the Electricity Ministry had claimed that generator units at Al-Koraymat stations in Helwan, 6 October and North Cairo stopped work due to a halt in gas flow.
The sources said electricity loads would be reduced to 2,400 megawatts, and called on residents to ration energy consumption, especially during the rush hour of 7 – 9 pm.
Power outages have become common across the country since the 2011 revolution. Sixty percent of electricity production depends on gas.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
