Libyan, Algerian electricity companies sign agreement on cooperation

The Libyan General Electricity Company (GECOL) and the National Electricity and Gas Company of Algeria (SONELGAZ) on Sunday signed a new agreement to expand cooperation in the fields of production, transport, distribution of electricity and gas, renewable energy and training.

The chairman of the board of GECOL, Wiam al-Abdelli, said at a press conference, held in Algeria after the signing of the agreement, that cooperation with Algeria was part of the continuation of the exchanges that took place between the teams of the two companies, after the intervention of the technical team of SONELGAZ last October to repair and restart the Libyan energy station in the Khoms region in less than 10 days.

He welcomed the Algerian company’s support to make up for the large deficit in energy production, according to a statement issued by GECOL.

Mr al-Abdelli stressed that the support came thanks to the effective contribution of SONELGAZ teams for the exploitation of 500 megawatts in the Libyan network after maintenance work.

For his part, the director general of SONELGAZ, Chaher Boulakhras, said that the new agreement came after the one previously concluded between the two companies in the field of production.

He said this partnership has been expanded to include the transport and distribution of electricity and gas, as well as renewable energy and training.

“Regarding renewable energies, SONELGAZ has experience gained on completed projects in the fields of engineering, maintenance and operation of power plants,” the Algerian official added.

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Mr Boulakhras stressed that the dynamics of cooperation with Libya is part of a win-win partnership.

He announced the setting up of a working group in a few days to be active in various areas of cooperation between the two countries.

At the beginning of October, the Algerian authorities sent a team of 13 technicians from the Algerian electricity production company to help repair a breakdown at the power station supplying the capital, Tripoli.

Libya, an oil-producing country which produces some 6,000 megawatts of electricity, has been facing a deficit of more than 1,500 megawatts since 2011, leading to intensive load shedding during consumption peaks in summer and winter.

(PANA/NAN)