Egypt to suspend unpopular power cuts for two months over summer

Government says it has imported sufficient fuel reserves to resume uninterrupted energy supply until mid-September

A man closes his shop amid a heatwave in Cairo, after the government had ordered early closure of businesses to save energy. EPA

Egypt's government announced on Wednesday it will suspend widely unpopular nationwide power cuts until mid-September.

In an address, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the government had imported sufficient amounts of fuel and would halt the blackouts starting on Sunday, July 21.

The decision comes amid growing public discontent and criticism over the energy-saving measures, which have caused disruption to daily life. The power cuts, introduced to compensate for a shortage of fuel for the country's power stations, have had a severe impact on small businesses and underprivileged regions.

"The power cuts will resume in mid-September but we hope to end them once and for all by the end of year," Mr Madbouly said during a press conference following a meeting of his newly reshuffled cabinet, which had pledged that solving the energy crisis was a top priority.

The Prime Minister, during a speech earlier this month, urged Egyptians to give the new government time to address the country's pressing issues, including the energy crisis and mounting economic pressures.

The Petroleum Ministry said 21 shipments of liquid natural gas, in addition to shipments of mazut, would be delivered to Egypt throughout the summer.

Five have already been received by Egypt, according to a statement from the State Information Service.

Cairo seen in darkness during planned power cuts. Reuters

The cuts, which lasted up to six hours daily in some areas, prompted a wave of criticism of the government over the past two months. The discontent has been fuelled by excessively hot weather.

Successive heatwaves had increased demand for power as more citizens used fans and air conditioners to cool off, Mr Madbouly said, which had in turn depleted the country's fuel reserves at a time when supplies were dwindling as a result of the war in Gaza.

To reduce demand on the power grid, the government had decreed that all shops, restaurants and cafes nationwide would have to close at 10pm every night. Grocers and pharmacies were allowed to open until 1am, while skilled traders were forced to close operations at 7pm.

Business owners condemned the early closure of their establishments, arguing the power cuts disproportionately affected poorer areas while sparing more affluent neighbourhoods and larger commercial operations, which could afford to install generators.

The temporary suspension of the power cuts comes as a relief to members of the public, who have been grappling with the challenges posed by the energy crisis. However, some have questioned the government's ability to secure sufficient fuel supplies and find long-term solutions to the country's energy and economic woes.