The General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) revealed that several electricity distribution centers in the west of the country have been looted. It confirmed the theft of 2,550 meters of copper wire in three areas, part of the Jafara and Qasr Bin Ghashir distribution departments.
The company said that this theft is part of a series of attacks against the struggling national power grid.
In a statement, GECOL added that 450 meters of high-pressure wires were stolen from the Al-Mashtal line, part of the Al-Zahra distribution department.
It noted that 1,200 meters of high-pressure wires were stolen from the Al-Froosiyah line from the Al-Manara station in Qasr Bin Ghashir. As well as 900 meters of high-pressure wires from the Al-Hawari line, also part of the Al-Manara station.
ُEarlier in January, GECOL renewed its appeal to all state bodies, calling them to urgently intervene and take a firm stance against the repeated assaults on the country’s electrical network.
The company also announced the theft of 2,100 meters of copper wire over the last 24 hours in western Libya. It explained that 1,500 meters of copper wire were looted from the Bin Saadan line at the Al-Azeel sub-station, while more than 600 meters were stolen from the Tarhuna Distribution Department.
It added that this caused the disconnection of feeding to about 20 transformers, resulting in power outages to a large number of residential neighbourhoods.
GECOL said that assaults on the electrical network have increased. It added that “these irresponsible actions cause harm to the interests of Libyan citizens, in addition to the severe losses incurred by the electricity sector.”
In October 2021, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity, Mohamed Shaker reiterated Cairo’s readiness to begin implementing the agreements signed between Egypt and Libya.
Shaker said that they are ready to help Libya rebuild and rehabilitate its electrical network. He stressed the Egyptian companies’ readiness to resume work as soon as security conditions improved.
The minister referred to Egyptian efforts to find urgent and quick solutions to the electrical problems in Libya. These solutions include installing quick generating units in places that suffer from shortages, as the units can reportedly be transferred from the Egyptian national grid in record time.
He also explained that they will be installed and operated to ensure that the electricity requirements of the Libyan people are met. This can be achieved in a short period due to the availability of connection lines, the existing routes, and various network components.