Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisis

Advice, information and discussion about Egypt in general.

Moderators: DJKeefy, 4u Network

Post Reply
User avatar
DJKeefy
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 11025
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 652 times
Been thanked: 1222 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisis

Post by DJKeefy »

Egypt suffers power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisis.

Half of Egypt's governorates may plunge into darkness due to fuel shortage, sources tell Al-Ahram's daily newspaper.

More than 15 nationwide power stations have halted electricity generation on Thursday due to shortages of fuel such as diesel, natural gas and mazut, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) said.

"The fuel ran dry, leading to the reduction of around 3000 mega watt of the daily electricity capacity for the first time ever," EETC said, according to Al-Ahram daily newspaper.

Sources familiar with the matter told Al-Ahram that if the fuel production crisis does not end soon "half of Egypt's governorates will plunge into darkness".

Fuel shortage in power plants has led to hours-long blackout in several governorates on Thursday, including capital Cairo, Suez, Beheira and Alexandria.

Egypt's minister of electricity and energy, Mahmoud Balbaa, has contacted petroleum minister Osama Kamal and Prime Minister Hisham Qandil to find a way out of the crisis, Al-Ahram added.

In December, Kamal said that Egypt planned to issue a tender to import gas within "three to four weeks". Shipments could start in the summer of 2013 to help meet growing demand for the fuel.

Egypt, itself a gas producer and exporter, said in October it had agreed to import gas from Algeria and was in talks with Qatar over a similar deal.

Egypt witnessed several power failures last summer due to shortage of fuel supply and the government has insisted that the problem would not occur in the winter because of less electricity consumption.

In August, the government announced that a new power station at Damietta (roughly 300 kilometres north of Cairo) and another at Abu Kier in the Alexandria governorate had begun operations with a view to meeting rising domestic energy demand.

The two stations reportedly represent some LE12 billion worth of investment and generate a combined 1,800 megawatts of energy.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/61427.aspx


Image
A-Four
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 4154
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:04 pm
Location: London
Has thanked: 905 times
Been thanked: 1113 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by A-Four »

What Al Ahram is not telling the people of Egypt is that the Government has been told by the IMF that they must return to a major oil exporting nation to raise hard currency $, and sorry, but the home market must suffer, and stop selling the stuff at bargain-basement prices to its domestic market.

Look out for a huge local rise in benzine soon, .......a bit like what has happened to Nigeria this past year.
User avatar
Bullet Magnet
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2530
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:38 am
Location: Le Manège Enchanté
Has thanked: 5362 times
Been thanked: 1475 times
Contact:

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Bullet Magnet »

Sunshine 365 days a year in Egypt.... :tk
.
:tk
.

.


They should go to China and buy up all those cheap Solar panels that they have to sell, :up
since the E.U will not allow them to be sold in the European market place, they should be pretty cheap. :cool:
There's a time for everyone, if they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn.
User avatar
Chocolate Eclair
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 1621
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 4:56 pm
Location: Luxor Egypt
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 300 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Chocolate Eclair »

Agree A4 and BM, what they should also be looking at is forward planning, because of all the construction going on, and most of it illegal due to the non regulated system. A mud hut one day, a block of apartments the next day, with over 30kW of power being consumed. A lot of the problem is people shooting themselves in the foot and then asking for medical care, maybe they should not pull the trigger in the first place.
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Hafiz »

Yes they should do something about solar - the previous mob did little and spent Egypt's money instead on hair brained programs like nuclear energy. There is a half completed reactor on the Red Sea coast.

It will be interesting in the next few years to see whether the crooks had any forward plans for energy or anything else that the current government can quickly bring to completion.

The current government faces some dreadful short term decisions in energy and elsewhere but probably has to start long term planning from scratch. Any fresh plans for domestic energy, industrial energy, propane, natural gas, gasoline, hydro etc. etc work on planning time frames of years or decades and Egypt doesn't have decades before the next revolution. The next revolution will not push Egypt in the liberal direction so everyone better get a start.

The natural gas thing is a mystery to me - how Egypt could have gone from a significant exporter to an importer in the space of a few years is very strange. Given the Israel exports are now stopped (?) there should be lots of gas for Egyptian electricity generation.

There could be some good news in the next few years. Exploration permits have been granted by Egypt to overseas oil companies in areas close to where there have been fantastic recent discoveries for Israel but no oil company is going to risk billions in an unstable country like Egypt so it better get stable and quick.
User avatar
Scottishtourist
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2165
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:04 pm
Location: Scotland
Has thanked: 544 times
Been thanked: 818 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Scottishtourist »

Quote Hafiz "Egypt doesn't have decades before the next revolution."

Those are pretty chilling words,and unfortunately are same ones I heard from friends whilst there in October!
I sat in restaurant overlooking souk one evening and chatted with owner.
He re-iterated this very same opinion.He looked out over souk and words were "if this place doesn't pick up in next couple of months...these people will be killing each other"
In my opinion,the near future is not optimistic for Egypt.
User avatar
Teddyboy
Top Member
Top Member
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:50 pm
Location: Luxor or Windy Nook UK
Has thanked: 1092 times
Been thanked: 217 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Teddyboy »

"I sat in restaurant overlooking souk one evening and chatted with owner."

I mean no harm in this ST, but we don't need you to write in pidgin English, we aren't (for the most) Egyptian! Normal English would be so much easier for us to read; the odd 'a' and 'the' would be lovely.
User avatar
Chocolate Eclair
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 1621
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 4:56 pm
Location: Luxor Egypt
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 300 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Chocolate Eclair »

We are living in Egyptian times here and its that really that has to stop, inefficiency is rife, people are getting lazier as the future is looking a little bleak at the moment for them. Maybe the fighting between the different factions should stop, and they should pull together to bring Egypt back from the brink.

At the moment though you are right ST the country is not stable enough for people to want to invest. this needs to change first, but the unfortunate thing is that everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and stalling progress. I mean to say 2 years and still no democratic parliament, its unheard off. If it keeps on going like this, Egypt will fall from the 3rd World precipice and into the 4th World, whatever that is.

Egypt has so much to offer, but stability is so desperately needed.
User avatar
Scottishtourist
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2165
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:04 pm
Location: Scotland
Has thanked: 544 times
Been thanked: 818 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Scottishtourist »

I wasn't writing in pidgin English TB.
For goodness sake!Is that the only constructive comment you can make about the situation!
Nit pickin on the scapegoat again?Have you nothing more pressing to concern yourself with?
Like a comment on the subject matter instead of being so bloomin crabbit and self-righteous?
User avatar
Bullet Magnet
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2530
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:38 am
Location: Le Manège Enchanté
Has thanked: 5362 times
Been thanked: 1475 times
Contact:

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Bullet Magnet »

Well, that escalated quickly :stp
Image

:cg

=========================================================================================

I dont suppose you could just dig Electricity out of the ground, .... Or could you...??? :cg
I have a tale to tell... :cool:

===========================================================================================

Why not invite the Chinese to setup a plant producing solar panels in Egypt, with a Government promise to buy up a certain amount over so many years, Set them up in the desert, AND even sell the panels in the domestic market too.

Jobs for Egyptians and affordable electricity for consumers plus less drain on the main grid, and ultimately, Zero dependency on fossil fuels...

Oh, hang on, that is just a bit too logical AND practical for any government to come up with.. :cg

And I am supposed to be the no brainer stoner head on this forum. FFS !!!
There's a time for everyone, if they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn.
User avatar
jewel
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8473
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:09 pm
Has thanked: 221 times
Been thanked: 132 times
Gender:
Contact:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by jewel »

As I have observed on prior occasions the main problem is the numbers of people in Egypt and population escalation,causing problems as it does elsewhere. More education on family planning urgently needed or catastrophe will ensue as sure as night follows day.
It's simple real, with fuel - demand has exceeded supply and the earths natural resources are drained, when will this message filter down to the masses? :|

India and Egypt have recently acknowledged that their huge populations impede economic and social progress, but a recognition of an issue is not enough. India and Egypt are having difficulties behaving differently; their populations continue to grow, and neither country has been able to identify the root cause of its social problems.
The average population density in Egypt is just 82 persons per square kilometer, but most of Egypt is a desert with population concentrated along the Nile and in Alexandria. The true population density in livable parts of the land exceeds 1000 people per square kilometer


http://www.lucidpages.com/doom.html

Simples really! :)

Oh yeah and if you think things bad in Egypt, wait until the USA falls off the "fiscal cliff" just a matter of time, it's happening all over, like Os. If you can't feed them don't breed 'em. Boo hoo hoo, can I have some money for free? Now **** ***!
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/201 ... nts-greens

It's being so cheerful keeps me going! ;) always the pragmatist.
I don't have a plan......so nothing can go wrong!

Image
User avatar
Bullet Magnet
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2530
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:38 am
Location: Le Manège Enchanté
Has thanked: 5362 times
Been thanked: 1475 times
Contact:

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Bullet Magnet »

Creation is abundant, there is ALWAYS enough to go around.

It's a question of manipulation and Logistics. :cool:
There's a time for everyone, if they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn.
User avatar
jewel
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8473
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:09 pm
Has thanked: 221 times
Been thanked: 132 times
Gender:
Contact:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by jewel »

BM yes and they can eat Solyent Green!

Reality check, just look at what's happening to the world or you can deny it, they say that psychopaths fail to recognise their behaviours as harmful. So true .....as with people who multiply like rats, and say, "oh yes but I'm vegan, and I recycle, I may have 6 kids but we have no impact on the planet" ha! :roll:


Water may indeed be the resource to cause major problems before long

Israel has become the world's leader in maximizing agricultural output per drop of water. Egypt's new desert farms now use drip irrigation.

Another 200 million cubic meters of marginal water are to be recycled, in addition to promoting the establishment of desalination plants in Israel.

Four years of drought have created "a deep water crisis," forcing the country to cut farmers' quotas.

Under a 1959 treaty, Egypt is entitled to a disproportionate share of the Nile's water, that rankles some of its neighbors. It has built canals to bring Nile water to the Sinai Desert, and to the vast emptiness of Toshka

An adviser says that the country has little choice. All of Egypt's farms and population are now crowded onto just 4% of its land.


Egypt is establishing an estimated 200,000 acres of farmland in the desert each year, even as it loses 60,000 acres of its best farmland to urbanization. The scourge is development.  


http://www.overpopulation.org/water.html


Oh yes this is an interesting presentation by Ahmed Hegazy, albeit 2009 so figures can be extrapolated and adjusted for the " revolution"

http://www.greekgeo.noa.gr/docs/geo_symp/Egypt2.pdf
I don't have a plan......so nothing can go wrong!

Image
User avatar
Teddyboy
Top Member
Top Member
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:50 pm
Location: Luxor or Windy Nook UK
Has thanked: 1092 times
Been thanked: 217 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Teddyboy »

Hi, Mr Thicko here!

Why should there be a water crisis? Surely water is never actually 'used'? I thought it just went round and around. Doesn't it just fall from the sky, we drink it, we pee it out, then it evaporates into the sky and falls again?
User avatar
jewel
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8473
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:09 pm
Has thanked: 221 times
Been thanked: 132 times
Gender:
Contact:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by jewel »

It is the water table that is threatened, the aquifers that hold water are depleted and with increased demand, use of water for foodstuffs, climate change et al this poses a severe situation for the future. Providing SAFE water is expensive and difficult.
Yes 70% of the planet is covered in water, set to rise with melting icecqps, but it is salinated, and desalination, only valid in Coastal areas costs in excess of 15% more than fresh water. Only 2% of the water on the planet is fresh water, mostly contaminated.
Even in the west where there is more rainfall, supplies are low due to increased population demand and all that goes with it. Mark my words there will ve real problems with water in the next few years.
You are correct TB in that there is a natural cycle of water, but this is only effective in a sustainable human population.
I don't have a plan......so nothing can go wrong!

Image
User avatar
Bearded Brian
Top Member
Top Member
Posts: 660
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:17 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 328 times
Been thanked: 304 times
Gender:
Contact:
Cambodia

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Bearded Brian »

Don't forget that the human body is made up of approx 65% water so with more people on the earth there is less water available to go around.
User avatar
Who2
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 7912
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: Laandaan
Has thanked: 1114 times
Been thanked: 3214 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Who2 »

Water eh? Why do you think! I moved to the Nile basin, one doesn't have to use 'front brain energy to figure that one out...:cool:
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Hafiz »

Solar energy in Egypt seems like a no brainer but maybe its more complicated.

Solar seems a great idea until you look at the detail and in-sun rich Australia the details don’t always stack up and the costs of producing virtuous solar electricity have proven to be very high.

The Germans have been doing a bit of forward planning on renewables in North Africa via an NGO called Desertec (and, suspiciously, how this capacity could be channeled into Europe). Their wiki page is full of good will, promises and worthy research projects. Results seem a bit hard to find and its links with the Club of Rome are sure to get the paranoiacs going.

They appear to be active in Egypt.

Worth reading if you are interested in the detail of transmitting power over large distances – the Germans are good at that. Also useful in showing the energy potential of North Africa if you are prepared to pay European prices to have it sent down the line to you in West Prussia.

Some interesting ideas in Desertec about renewables and desalination but that’s a whole set of other problems which you create for yourself if you need to water the beached whales on the Red Sea coast.

The talk of Chinese made roof top panels as a solution ignores the fact that most industrial scale systems don’t use photovoltaics but mirror concentrating systems to heat water. The US are doing this successfully but its not easy and Australian attempts have ended in failure so I’m not sure what the betting would be on success in Egypt. If it was as easy as setting up huge photovoltaic farms then the ‘problem’ would have been fixed yesterday and Egypt would be a rich exporter of electricity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertec

Apparently there is good potential for wind power on the Red Sea coast but I’ll leave it to others to make something of that.
User avatar
Winged Isis
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 3867
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:38 pm
Location: Australia
Has thanked: 824 times
Been thanked: 766 times
Gender:
Australia

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by Winged Isis »

They only need to tap into all the hot air coming from Cairo! :lol:
Carpe diem! :le:
User avatar
hatusu
Top Member
Top Member
Posts: 774
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:15 pm
Location: West Bank Luxor
Has thanked: 351 times
Been thanked: 436 times
Egypt

Re: Power outage, could face 'dark winter' due to fuel crisi

Post by hatusu »

Our hotel has solar panels on one of the blocks to heat the water.
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post