By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab and Tom Westcott.
Tripoli, 20 March 2013:
Libya’s electricity deficit will be shored up with an interim project this summer, . . .[restrict]which promises to put an end to the country’s power cuts.
The Electricity Minister, Ali Mohammed Muhairiq, told the Libya Herald that mobile power units should top up an expected electricity deficit of 500-600 megawatts (MW) during the peak summer season.
“With these mobile units,” Muhairiq said, “we do not think there will be any shortage of electricity.”
The mobile power turbines, supplied by US-based APR Energy, will run off diesel, providing a fast interim solution to the country’s energy deficit.
“Our mobile turbine units are highly portable, and are wheel-mounted so that they can be shipped via road freight very easily,” public relations officer for APR Energy, Sarah Strickland, told the Libya Herald. “These units are installable in three days or less in most instances,” she added.
It is not yet known how many of the 25 MW mobile turbines will be installed in the country but APR Energy’s contract is to provide a total of 250 MW. “We typically install a redundancy of equipment to ensure the most reliable energy source possible,” Strickland said.
APR Energy’s chief executive officer John Campion said the company was honoured to serve as a partner to Libya as it rebuilds and develops its economy. “This project is ground-breaking for the country in terms of both scale and scope,” he said.
Installation will start as soon as possible and the turbines are anticipated to start generating power in July this year. [/restrict]
