Egypt hit with power shortages amid declining oil production

The country is reportedly awaiting $300 million of fossil fuel imports to arrive, but is stuck dealing with notable power deficiency in the meantime.

By Addison Smith

Published: August 7, 2023 6:10pm

Egypt, whose natural gas output has declined substantially over the past two years, is currently undergoing power shortages during the heat waves hitting communities across the globe.

According to Reuters, Egypt’s production of the fossil fuel fell to a three-year low during January to May of this year, with a year-on-year decline of 9% and 12% when stacked against 2021 volume.

The news comes as Egypt—along with much of the globe—battles intense summer temperatures, which are straining its power grid.

Last week, the ministry began doing scheduled power cuts to conserve energy in the face of rising demand, a move that Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker said directly results from lessened fossil fuel imports.

Oil and energy news outlet OilPrice.com reported that Egypt is currently awaiting $300 million in fuel-oil arrivals, but no strategy for mitigating the shortages has been made public.

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