Explosion near Libya's Zaouia power plant disrupts electricity production

An explosion near the Zaouia power plant in western Libya has disrupted electricity production, forcing the shutdown of several generating units, the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) announced Saturday.

GECOL stated that technical teams have been mobilized to investigate the circumstances and cause of the blast. Efforts are underway to gradually restore power supply and stabilize the national grid. The company apologized to users affected by the outages and disruptions, expressing hope for a swift return to normal operations.

The incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions surrounding Zaouia's energy infrastructure. The region has recently experienced drone attacks targeting strategic installations, including power facilities and fuel storage tanks at the Zaouia oil complex. However, Libyan authorities have not yet established a link between Saturday's explosion and these prior attacks.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. The disruption adds to challenges in Libya's energy sector, which has been vulnerable to instability and attacks.