Militia Attack Destroys Zawiya Substation, Threatening Nationwide Blackouts

ZAWIA – A targeted attack by militias has destroyed a substation south of Zawiya, cutting power to large parts of the area, Libya’s state electricity company ( GECOL ) said. GECOL warned that if the attacks on infrastructure continue, the national grid could face partial or even total blackouts.

The unrest has also derailed major overhaul work at the Zawiya power plant, which has a capacity of 1,300 megawatts. Security concerns had already driven GECOL to pull its teams out last June, leaving more than 700 megawatts offline, and the latest attack has forced the company to down tools again. GECOL also reported new damage to 220 kV and 400 kV transmission lines, deepening the shortfall.

The company said it could not be held responsible for the resulting damage or power cuts, and called on all sides to protect the country’s power facilities and keep the technical crews working on them safe.