KHARTOUM: Sudan is awaiting the arrival of spare parts from abroad to repair the electricity network linked to the Merowe Dam after a fire knocked it completely out of service, causing widespread outages across the country, Energy and Petroleum Minister Al-Mutasim Ibrahim told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Ibrahim said no timetable has yet been set for restoring electricity to the affected states, but engineering teams are working around the clock and he is personally overseeing the repairs.
He described the failure at the Merowe Dam power station as “major and unexpected,” adding that efforts are focused on restoring electricity to the northern state within two days to prevent disruption to the agricultural season, while alternative power supplies are being arranged for several affected areas.
A fire that broke out last Saturday damaged transmission cables supplying River Nile, Red Sea and Northern states, as well as the capital, Khartoum, triggering widespread blackouts.
Ibrahim said the Merowe Dam generates more than 50 percent of Sudan’s electricity and that any shutdown disrupts power supplies across most of the country. He added that both the Sovereignty Council and the Council of Ministers are monitoring repair efforts.
