Electricity in Shabwa Governorate… A continuous power outage crisis exacerbates the suffering of residents
Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Power outages in Shabwah Governorate, coinciding with the approach of a hot summer season, are sparking public outrage as government power stations run dry of fuel.
Local activist Ahmed Salem Faraj reported that the power station in Ataq city, the governorate’s capital, is suffering from a shortage of diesel fuel, leading to a reduction in operating hours to two hours during the day and five hours in the evening. He added that if the tribal blockade in Marib continues, operating hours will be further reduced.
He indicated that the governorate’s districts supplied by the Ataq station have been without electricity since Monday. He also stressed that in recent weeks, operating hours had been limited to just three hours per day, with occasional malfunctions in the pipeline supplying the Al-Rawda and Mayfa’a districts.
He added that the Habban district is experiencing additional blackout periods, and the Jardan district has been plunged into darkness for over two months due to a malfunction in the transformer station, which was repaired and reactivated two days ago.
He explained that the Arma’a district’s station has also been out of service for ten days due to fuel depletion, and the Al-Nuqub power station has been offline for nearly 20 days for the same reason.
He pointed out that the Bayhan power station has been down for weeks, with a diesel tanker arriving five days ago, only for the power to go out completely again after a few hours due to fuel exhaustion.
Faraj said that parts of the Usaylan district and the coastal districts rely on gas-powered stations owned by companies, not the electricity corporation, and their operating hours are excellent.
