AMMAN: Jordan on Wednesday confirmed that Egyptian gas supplies to the kingdom came to a stop after unknown saboteurs bombed a pipeline in Sinai.
"Egypt’s gas supplies have been halted after the attack. Power stations are now depending on heavy fuel and diesel to generate electricity," energy minister Khaled Tuqan said in a statement.
"The country has enough supplies of heavy fuel and diesel for two weeks."
Jordan imports about 240 million cubic feet of Egyptian gas a day, or 80 percent of its electricity needs.
The attack, which also affected Israel, took place at dawn near the village of Al-Sabil in the Al-Arish region, an Egyptian security official said, adding the bomb was activated remotely.
The pipeline was previously sabotaged on Feb. 5, six days before a popular uprising forced veteran Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to resign from power.
Supplies of gas to Israel and Jordan from that disruption resumed eventually on March 16.
The new attack is expected to cost Jordan $3.5 million a day, officials said.
