The Chairman of the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL), Mohamed Al-Mashai, and the Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Libya (AmCham), Debbie Hirst discussed cooperation in the alternative energy sector.
GECOL said in a statement that the two parties discussed “ways to build a bridge of communication, and strengthen cooperation to serve the stability of the Libyan grid, and raise its production capacity.” The meeting also discussed the return of American energy companies to Libya.
In August, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced its cooperation with GECOL to develop an operational plan aimed at stabilizing the Libyan grid.
The plan also aims at aligning the grid with the Libyan Emergency Network Stabilization Program, as part of an international multi-donor initiative.
According to the USAID statement, the plan targets fair and equitable electricity distribution at the municipal level. Electricity will be cut off “fairly” for short and limited periods. As well as negotiations with the top consumers to divide their activity in off-peak hours.
It stated that GECOL improved the average daily electricity production by 10.5% in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the same period last year.
As well as confirming that the grid is facing additional pressures from high temperatures during the summer. “USAID is organizing workshops to help national grid operators address the gaps in supply and energy transmission effectively between the east and west,” it added.
Notably, the Chairman of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), Mustafa Bengadra said that the priority of the NOC is to supply gas to local power stations in all Libyan regions.
He held a meeting with Al-Mashai and the Chairman of the Renewable Energy Authority, Abdel-Salam Al-Ansari. They discussed the challenges and difficulties facing the energy sector in Libya. The possibility of investing in renewable energy projects, and generating electricity through alternative energies were also reviewed.
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