CAIRO, June 25 – Egypt needs to import approximately $1.18 billion worth of mazut fuel oil and natural gas to address persistent power cuts exacerbated by heat waves, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Tuesday.
Madbouly revealed that the government expects these shipments to arrive by the third week of July, aiming to end power cuts for the remainder of the summer. The country has already contracted 300,000 tonnes of mazut worth $180 million to boost its strategic reserves, with deliveries expected early next week.
In response to a surge in electricity consumption during the latest heat wave, the government extended daily power cuts to three hours from the previous two hours. These extended cuts will continue until the end of June, reverting to two-hour cuts for the first half of July, with a goal of stopping entirely for the rest of the summer.
The power cuts have ignited widespread complaints on social media. Some Egyptians have resorted to purchasing private generators. The situation has been particularly challenging for teenagers preparing for high school exams, with reports of students studying by candlelight or in coffee shops. In Port Said, a wedding hall owner converted a ballroom into a study hall.
Since July of the previous year, load shedding linked to falling gas production, rising demand, and a shortage of foreign currency has resulted in scheduled two-hour daily power cuts in most areas. “We had planned to end load shedding by the end of 2024… we do not have a power generation problem or a network problem, we are unable to provide fuel,” Madbouly stated.
The Prime Minister cited increased consumption due to significant development and population growth as additional pressures on Egypt’s dollar resources.
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