Unnamed sources claim authorities from the Electricity Ministry are accusing the Petroleum Ministry and president's office of ignoring fuel supply shortages at power stations. This lead to numerous power outages across five governorates Sunday.
The sources said on Monday that officials were ordered to reduce electricity loads exceeding 2,000 megawatts by cutting power to homes for 30 minutes every day until the crisis is resolved. However, station personnel were asked to keep police stations and other emergency services running on full power.
Daqahlia, Minya, Kafr al-Sheikh, the Red Sea and Sohag Governorates were the worst affected.
The sources added that the ministry refused to notify anyone about the blackouts over fears of the deteriorating security situation.
Several gas stations were also forced to shutter due to the shortage of electricity.
Work at plants and aluminum workshops in Daqahlia’s Mit Ghamr district stopped, although authorities claimed the power outages were due to technical problems.
Meanwhile, electricity was cut off in Mansoura from 8-10 pm, while outlying Daqahlia villages faced five-hour blackouts.
In the Red Sea, power failed in Hurghada until the early hours of Monday morning, forcing hotels, restaurants and the Hurghada International Airport to use generators.
In Minya, Alaa Abdel Aziz, vice-chief of the North Upper Egypt Company for Electricity Distribution, proposed a plan to lower electricity use in the Upper Egypt governorates of Minya, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Assiut and New Valley.
“The national control center allocates 50 megawatts per each stage to be distributed among the five governorates, resulting in no more than a one-hour power outage in the governorates alternately,” he told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
