Fuel shortage blamed for recent power outages in Sudan
March 10, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Electricity Distribution Company (SEDC) has attributed the recent power outages to fuel shortages at the electrical generation stations saying it developed a plan to secure power supply during summer and fall seasons.
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 crude oil from Adareel oil fields in the Upper Nile state.
When South Sudan became an independent country in July 2011, it took around 75% of Sudan’s oil resources with it.
The director general of 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 decreased rainfall and increased consumption.
According to the UN, 35% of Sudan’s population has access to electricity while more than 25 million people are not yet been connected to the national electricity grid.
(ST)