Africa · 25 August, 2026 · 3 min read
Libya Warns Grid Collapse After Protesters Storm Power Stations in Tripoli
Protesters block roads, burn tyres in Tripoli over prolonged power outages. GECOL warns sabotage could trigger a nationwide grid collapse after storming power stations.
3 outlets, one story, no spin found.
2 of 3 outlets skipped it: roadblocks and burning tyres were used in Tripoli protests.
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Tripoli power stations stormed
Libya’s General Electricity Company (GECOL) warned on Monday that attacks on power generation and transmission facilities could trigger a complete blackout after protests in Tripoli on Sunday in which demonstrators entered several power stations and substations.
“GECOL to warn on Monday that attacks on power generation and transmission facilities could trigger a complete blackout”
GECOL said damage had been reported at a number of facilities and that it had launched an investigation into the incidents, including an explosion at Substation 16 when electricity was being restored independently without coordination with its operations and control teams.
The company said protesters forcibly removed staff from the Souq al-Jumaa generating station and shut the facility, causing its transmission lines to be disconnected and preventing the plant from being returned to service.
GECOL warned that interference with the electricity system could have consequences far beyond individual facilities, potentially destroying transformers and other equipment and forcing generating units and transmission lines out of operation.
Residents have described daily power cuts lasting as long as 14 to 20 hours in parts of the capital, while temperatures have climbed to between 44°C and 48°C in parts of Libya, with Tripoli reaching about 45°C.
GECOL warning and protest scenes
Middle East Online reported that GECOL warned sabotage at power generation and transmission facilities could trigger a collapse of the national electricity grid after angry protesters stormed several installations in Tripoli over prolonged power cuts.
GECOL said it opened an investigation into damage at several facilities after protesters forced their way into power stations and substations, and it warned that unauthorised attempts to operate equipment or restore electricity could cause transformers and other machinery to burn out.
The company’s warning quoted by Middle East Online said, "Any individual intervention in the operation or restoration of electricity can have serious consequences and may lead to the blackout of an entire area or the collapse of the electricity grid as a whole," as temperatures in parts of Libya reached up to 48°C.
Al Jazeera described protests in Tripoli involving roadblocks and burning tyres in several areas of Libya’s capital over prolonged power outages and the deteriorating electricity network.
GECOL said the crisis was intensified by extreme summer heat and attributed worsening outages to a combination of fuel shortages and excessive demand, with demand at about 7,500 MW versus available generation of about 4,500 MW.
Grid strain, fuel gaps, and risk
The Arab Weekly said GECOL reported the loss of around 750 MW because of insufficient oil and gas supplies to power stations, leaving a deficit of roughly 3,000 MW between power demand of about 7,500 MW and generation estimated at around 4,500 MW.
“potentially destroying transformers and other equipment and forcing generating units and transmission lines out of operation”
Middle East Online similarly reported that GECOL had lost about 750 megawatts of generation capacity because of shortages of oil and gas needed to operate power stations, while demand rose to roughly 7,500 MW compared with available generation of about 4,500 MW.
The Arab Weekly warned that an uncontrolled attempt to restore power could cause an entire district to lose electricity or, in the worst case, bring down the national grid, and it said the incidents underscore mounting pressure on Libya’s electricity system as heatwave demand rises.
Both outlets linked the outages to disruptions beyond electricity, with The Arab Weekly saying the outages disrupted water supplies, internet connections and businesses, while residents reported food spoiling and households struggling to cope without air conditioning.
The Arab Weekly framed the stakes as a stability problem for the national grid, noting that electricity shortages have been a recurring feature since the fall of Gaddafi in 2011 and that GECOL’s warning raises the stakes for both authorities and protesters as temperatures remain exceptionally high.