In Egypt, power cuts have become a daily occurrence, with fans, air conditioners, and refrigerators ceasing to function at least once a day.
These outages, lasting three hours or more, are particularly difficult to bear during the scorching heatwave. Elevators stop, televisions and Wi-Fi networks go offline, adding to the frustration of residents.
Government’s Response to Energy Shortages
The Egyptian government implemented these planned power cuts a year ago in response to energy shortages and a lack of foreign currency.
In Assouan, a major city in the south, and its surrounding areas, temperatures reached nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the shade in June.
Residents like Tarek, who spoke to AFP under a pseudonym for fear of reprisals, report enduring power and water outages for up to four hours a day. The situation is reportedly worse in the villages, with unplanned cuts leading to food spoilage and heatstroke cases.
Parliamentary Concerns and Public Outcry
In June, a member of parliament from Assouan, Riham Abdelnaby, reported dozens of heat-related deaths and called for her governorate to be exempt from the power cuts, stating that they “endanger the lives of citizens.”
The extended and more frequent cuts during the June heatwave have further exacerbated public frustration, even among typically pro-government talk show hosts.
Electricity: A Basic Right, Not a Luxury
Prominent television presenter Lamis al-Hadidi expressed her discontent on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Electricity is not a luxury, it’s a most basic right.” She questioned who would compensate people for the loss of water, landlines, internet, and damage to electrical appliances caused by the outages.
The current power cuts are occurring amidst Egypt’s worst economic crisis in history. Since 2022, the Egyptian pound has lost two-thirds of its value, and last year, inflation reached a record high of 40%.
Government Apologies and Promises
This week, in addition to the planned daytime cuts, entire neighborhoods in Cairo experienced nighttime outages lasting up to two hours.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli attempted to appease the public by offering “the government’s apologies,” while acknowledging that three-hour power cuts would continue this week.
Blaming Gas Supply Disruptions
Madbouli attributed the increased outages to a “gas field in a neighboring country,” which supplies natural gas to Egypt, being “unusable for more than 12 hours.” He added that Egypt would spend approximately $1.2 billion in July, or 2.6% of the country’s precious foreign currency reserves, to procure fuel.
While the government aims to end the cuts “by the third week of July,” Madbouli stated that they are expected to resume in the fall before finally ending at the end of the year.
Tragic Consequences
Even though there is no official toll, these measures have already claimed lives in Egypt. In Assouan, “about 40 heat-related deaths” were reported in June, according to Abdelnaby.
In Alexandria, musician Mohammed Ali Nasr died after falling into a stuck elevator shaft during a power outage. Although most Egyptians plan their outings to avoid being trapped in elevators, similar incidents have caused at least four deaths since last year, according to media reports.