The General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) reported today that over a three-week period across three German cities, it conducted a specialized training programme aimed at developing the skills of national personnel in the mechanical maintenance of generators and gas turbines, in alignment with the requirements of the South Tripoli Gas Power Plant project.
The South Tripoli Gas Power Plant generators and turbines are supplied by Germany’s Siemens.
Launched on 28 September, the programme is divided into three training modules conducted in the cities of Erlangen, Duisburg, and Berlin, enabling participants to acquire the necessary technical expertise in this specialized field.
GECOL said this initiative falls within the company's efforts to prepare qualified national personnel and enhance their readiness to participate in operations and maintenance activities.
Libya’s summer of acute power cuts and blackouts
It will be recalled that Libya experienced acute power cuts and blackouts this summer. These led to violent demonstrations that blockaded roads and barricaded state institutions and threatened to bring down the Tripoli government.
The power cuts affected all facets of life including the supply of water by the Man-made River project.
The power cuts led to the sacking of GECOL’s board of directors and chairman.
One of the problems that GECOL suffers from is the refusal of foreign technicians to service power stations due to insecurity and militia clashes. This has held Libya’s power generation sector hostage to foreign technicians.
By training Libyan personnel, GECOL hopes to carry out more servicing and maintenance of power stations (where permitted by contract guarantees) and reducing dependence of foreign technicians.