Fuel shortage blamed for recent power outages in Sudan
March 10, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Electricity Distribution Company (SEDC) has attributed the recent power cut to fuel shortage at the electrical generation stations saying it developed a plan to secure power supply during summer and fall seasons.
Thermal generation constitutes 50% of Sudan’s electricity production while electricity produced by Merowe and El-Rusairis dams amounts to 3050 mw. The upper Atbara and Setit dam is expected to produce 150 mw by the end of the year.
Last week the Sudanese oil ministry signed an agreement with its South Sudanese counterpart to supply the electrical generation station in the White Nile state with heavy crude oil from Adareel fields in the Upper Nile state.
The director general of the SEDC, Musa Ibrahim, told the official news agency SUNA on Tuesday that electrical generation stations which operate by fuel produce around 50% of the total electrical supply of the country.
He revealed a plan to include additional stations and increase capacity of existing ones besides maintaining the medium and low pressure network and reviewing the frequent breakdowns in order to secure electrical supply.
Ibrahim said that maintenance work for the summer and fall seasons usually begins in November of each year and continues up until February, pointing to ongoing efforts in coordination with the finance and oil ministries to provide fuel for the electrical generation stations.
Last December, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said that Sudan will face a problem in electricity production in the future if it does not develop alternative projects due to decreasing rainfall and increasing consumption.
According to the UN, 35% of Sudan’s population has access to electricity while more than 25 million people have not yet been connected to the national electricity grid.
(ST)