Moroccan Assistance in Response to Electricity Outages
In light of the persistent power outages affecting various regions surrounding the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, Morocco has swiftly intervened by deploying a specialized technical team equipped with essential tools and equipment. This initiative aims to bolster local authorities' efforts to restore electricity to the damaged grid, as confirmed by local media sources. The outages were triggered by simultaneous fires at two electricity stations in the northern and western regions of Nouakchott, leading to significant disruptions.
On Friday, the Mauritanian Electricity Company, known as “SOMELEC,” issued a statement announcing an unexpected power outage due to a massive fire that erupted at the Eastern Substation (operating at a medium voltage of 33/15 kilovolts), which supplies power to extensive and vital areas of northern Nouakchott and its neighboring regions. This incident resulted in partial service disruptions in districts such as Dar Naim, Toujounine, and parts of Arafat, in addition to affecting the power line connecting Nouakchott with Wad Naga, Edini, and Aoulighat. Despite the substantial technical challenges posed by this situation, efforts are ongoing to restore service to normal levels as swiftly as possible.
In a separate announcement, SOMELEC confirmed that a strong fire also impacted a 33/15 kilovolt transformer station in western Nouakchott, leading to power outages across most neighborhoods of Tevragh Zeina and large portions of the districts of Laksar and Sebkha. The company’s technical teams, stationed on-site, are awaiting the firefighters' full control over the flames to secure the area completely.
Government Response and Investigations into the Incident
Moreover, the Mauritanian public institution responsible for generating, transporting, and distributing electricity reported the installation of an alternative transformer station to replace the northern distribution station, which serves vast areas of western Nouakchott. It is anticipated that this alternative station will cover approximately 60% of the previous station's load in the coming hours, while additional measures are taken to address the remaining percentage through other stations.
President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani visited the transformer station in western Nouakchott to assess the extent of the damages incurred. He directed the immediate implementation of measures to mitigate the incident's impact and expedite the restoration of electricity, as indicated by a brief statement from the Mauritanian presidency on their Facebook page. During this visit, the President urged the government to mobilize all available logistical and human resources to hasten the return of electricity to the affected areas and to initiate an investigation into the causes of the failures that impacted the aforementioned electricity stations, as well as to clarify accountability.
In a related context, the Comprehensive Transparency Organization, which operates in the fields of anti-corruption and monitoring public contracts in Mauritania, noted that available data suggests the fires in the stations are likely linked to the use of oversized electrical cables intended for the electricity distribution network. These cables were procured through a tender as part of the emergency development program for Nouakchott. The organization stated that initial investigations indicate these cables may not meet the required technical specifications or could be counterfeit, which could have led to the malfunctions and fires affecting the stations. Furthermore, it highlighted that the procurement deals for these cables are reportedly connected to influential trade interests of well-known parliamentarians in Mauritania.
As reported by hespress.com.
