GNU: Electricity crisis is caused by a shutdown of oil production and exports

Spokesperson for the Government of National Unity (GNU), Mohammed Hammouda, has declared the gas supply crisis that is caused by the blockade on oil production and exports led to losing about 1000 megawatts of the public grid’s power.

“Continued blockade will aggressively the crisis as per the estimation of the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) and experts. The GNU is still working with all GECOL staffers to overcome the gas shortage crisis and its impact on the grid, forming an operations room of oil, defense and interior ministries to find a solution, however; the cause is linked directly to the halted oil production and exports.” Hammouda said.

He indicated that the GNU calls on the Public Prosecutor to probe the blockade of oil fields which, together with justification by political parties of this closure, constitutes a crime against Libyans, vowing that the GNU will hold the perpetrators accountable.

GECOL said two days ago that the grid had lost 750 megawatts in eastern region due to shutdown of generation units at Zueitina and North Benghazi power plants following the shortage of gas supply because of the closure of oil ports and fields, warning that there would be more power outage hours with a worsening crisis in the coming days due to the rising heat.