The consumption rates of power plants have increased to 132m cubic metres of gas and equivalent daily since last Thursday, an amount worth approximately $72m, according to an official at gas holding company EGAS.
The official explained that the quantities of gas supplied to power plants has increased to 132m cubic metres per day compared to the previous 87m metres, with increasing reductions in the amounts of gas supplied to the industrial sector.
Approximately 28,000 tonnes of fuel oil and 2,500 tonnes of diesel are supplied to power plants daily as well, said the official.
The quantities currently being supplied are larger than those agreed upon between the electricity and petroleum ministries, but poor technical conditions at power plants and the widespread power outages that occurred last Thursday are the main reasons behind the current cuts.
The official explained that the cause of the power crisis Egypt currently faces is a result of poor technical conditions at power plants as well as a lack of regular maintenance. Most plants operate at only 25% of capacity and burn fuels completely, he said.
Power plants currently receive 72% of gas produced in Egyptian oil fields, which has led to many industrial factories received reduce gas supplies or none at all, the official said.
Egyptian gas production increased to approximately 4.75bn square metres daily at the end of last month compared to the previous 4.6bn, he added.
