Damage caused by last Saturday’s militia clashes in Janzour (west Tripoli) will result in power cuts and a delay in the completion of the Tripoli West Fast Track power station this summer, the Chairman of the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) Wiam Abdali said today.
Speaking in a pre-recorded video message posted on GECOL’s Facebook page, Abdali did not specify how long the delay would be, but said the damage was considerable, and included overhead power transmission lines, lifting equipment and the outside of the power station generators. He said that contractors ENKA and Siemens were still completing their damage report.
Abdali said work had stopped at the power station which had been fast tracked to be completed by the end of this month – and before the start of this year’s peak demand summer season in order to avoid the lengthy annual power cuts. At least 70 foreign technicians had stopped work and asked to be repatriated, he revealed.
It will be recalled that the Tripoli West Fast Track power station was meant to play a huge part in preventing the annual reoccurrence of lengthy power cuts. Incumbent Caretaker Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, had staked his reputation on the ‘‘Fast Track’’ projects. He had asked the Audit Bureau and Central Bank of Libya to ‘‘fast track’’ them and set aside the usual lengthy and financing procedures to save the country from another year of lengthy power cuts.
Janzour militia clashes cause damage to Tripoli West power station – LibyaHerald