Three urgently-built power stations near completion – to be ready before peak summer demand: Aldabaiba government

The current Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Caretaker Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, has promised that the three ‘‘urgent’’ power stations nearing completion will be ready before this summer’s peak demand period.

The government’s information social media page put this nearing success to the ‘‘efforts made by Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba to alleviate the electricity crisis in the country.’’

Tripoli West gas power station -670 MW-completion rate 87 percent
The Tripoli West gas station project, in Tripoli, has a production capacity of 670 MW and has reached a completion rate of 87 percent. It is being implemented by Germany’s Siemens and Turkey’s ENCA.

Misrata gas power station – 640 MW-completion rate of 83 percent
The urgent Misrata power station project in the city of Misrata, which the government said is one of the ‘‘revival of life’’ projects to revive development projects in the country. It has reached a completion rate of 83 percent and has a production capacity of 640 MW. It is under the supervision of the General Electricity Company, and the implementation of the Germany’s Siemens and Turkey’s ENCA.

Tobruk gas power station – 740 MW-completion rate 80 percent
Tobruk power station has a production capacity of 740 MW and has reached a completion rate of 80 percent. It is being implemented by Greece’s Metka company. It is expected that the first of its four units will be operational before the summer peak demand.

Analysis: Aldabaiba’s trust deficit – can the Caretaker PM be believed?
it will be recalled that upon gaining office last March, Caretaker PM Aldabaiba had promised that Libya’s electricity crisis would be over by year end. Later this became by November and then December. The power cuts, while much improved on the Faiez Serraj era, have persisted.

Moreover, the Caretaker PM has a trust deficit with – to a varying degree – the Libyan public. It will be recalled that upon standing to be selected through the Geneva Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) he had signed an undertaking not to stand for the 24 December 2021 elections. But Aldabaiba stood for the elections and brushed aside the undertaking not to stand as an ethical and not a legal undertaking.

This has led many Libyans to take anything Aldabaiba says with a pinch of salt.