Libya's General Electricity Company announced on Wednesday that the 30/11-kilovolt transformer station south of the city of Zawiya was completely burned and taken out of service after being targeted. The company warned that continued attacks on electricity facilities could lead to widespread disruptions, potentially causing a 'partial or total blackout' of the network.
In a statement, the company said the attack on the transformer station resulted in power outages in large areas south of Zawiya. Their technical teams have moved to assess the damage and initiate necessary recovery procedures to restore electricity to affected areas, within the available technical capabilities.
Warning of 'Total Blackout'
The company cautioned about the dangers of continuous targeting of the network's facilities and components, noting that the loss of more transformer stations and energy transmission lines could lead to significant disruptions. These disruptions could escalate to a partial or total blackout of the electrical grid.
Security disturbances in Zawiya over recent periods have directly impacted the electricity sector, causing severe damage to several network facilities and affecting maintenance programs and major overhauls at the Zawiya power station.
Over 700 Megawatts Offline
According to the company, the Zawiya power station has a full production capacity of approximately 1,300 megawatts. However, more than 700 megawatts remain offline due to delays in maintenance and overhauls.
The security situation in June prompted American company General Electric to withdraw its technical teams and suspend operations at the station, delaying maintenance completion and restoration of target capacities to the national grid, which powers various regions across Libya.
The situation repeated on Wednesday after the attack on Zawiya power station facilities for generation. The company stated that General Electric halted all its work inside the station and withdrew its technical teams until security conditions and a suitable work environment are assured for their return.
They warned that ceasing operations could cause further delays in maintenance and reinstating production units to service.
Impact Beyond Zawiya
The recent developments have affected the electricity system's ability to meet demand and maintain network stability, along with losses from damage to power components and transmission lines of 220 and 400 kilovolts.
This led to an increase in available capacity deficits and higher loads, while technical teams continue their efforts to stabilize the network and maintain electrical supply.
The company held relevant authorities accountable for protecting production and transformer stations and securing local and foreign technical teams, emphasizing that continued targeting of these vital facilities threatens network stability and essential services provided to citizens across Libya.
Additionally, they declared that they cannot be held responsible to the Libyan public for any network repercussions or continuity of supply due to ongoing targeting of facilities or inability to carry out maintenance and operations in a safe environment.