Siemens and ENKA inspect construction sites ahead of starting 1,300 MW power projects

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 14 September 2020:

• Germany’s Siemens and Turkey’s ENKA inspect new project site
• Tripoli West and Misrata construction sites
• Implementing contractors inspect logistics and security at sites
• Power generation projects to produce new 1,300 MW
• Generation needed to help Libya’s c. 1,300 MW generation deficit
• Power plants to be ready before next summer’s peak demand period
• Projects come as part of agreement by Turkish companies to resume Libya projects
• Resumption comes after Audit Bureau 20-day ultimatum to contractors to start or lose projects
• Lengthy power cuts have become a political issue threatening to bring down both governments

Germany’s power generation giant, Siemens, and its Turkish implementing contractor, ENKA, inspected their Tripoli West and Misrata project sites today, the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) reported. They inspected logistical and security conditions at the sites.

The projects are to generate a total 1,300 MW of new electricity generation and are planned to be ready before next summer’s peak demand period.

This comes as part of the agreement by Turkish implementing companies to return to Libya to resume electricity projects and as part of the urgent plan initiated by GECOL and the Faiez Serraj government to generate Libya’s power generation deficit of about 1,300 MW.

The site inspection by the two companies comes after the Tripoli Audit Bureau granted the implementing contractors a 20-day ultimatum to start their projects or risk losing them to other companies.

Power cuts have become a sensitive political issue in Libya threatening to bring both western and eastern Libyan governments down after Libya-wide demonstrations, shooting at protestors by government recognized troops, excessive use of force, arrests, injuries, at least one death, a ministerial suspension and the provisional resignation of the eastern government.

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