Egypt rolls out electricity conservation plan to prevent summer power outages

Updated 6/17/2025 6:12:00 AM

Arab Finance: Egypt has launched a nationwide electricity conservation plan aimed at avoiding power outages following Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s announcement affirming the government’s commitment to maintaining the electricity supply this summer despite ongoing regional tensions.

The plan, already being implemented across several governorates, includes a 60% reduction in lighting in streets and public squares in coordination with relevant authorities.

All government buildings and public facilities are instructed to conserve electricity during working hours and to completely switch off lighting, both indoor and outdoor, after 8:00 pm.

Air conditioning systems in public facilities must be set to 25 degrees Celsius, turned off before the end of the workday, and billboard lighting must be shut off between 9:00 pm and midnight.

Retail and commercial establishments are required to close by 11:00 pm, with operating hours extended only until midnight on Thursdays and Fridays.

The plan also calls for reducing excessive lighting on storefronts, limiting public lighting inside event venues, and minimizing electricity consumption in places of worship, ensuring all lights are turned off after religious activities conclude.

Additional measures include replacing sodium street lamps with energy-efficient lighting and mandating the use of energy-saving bulbs in all government buildings and ongoing construction projects.

In parallel, the Ministry of Petroleum has activated an emergency plan for natural gas supply management.

This includes suspending gas supplies to select industrial users, increasing diesel use in power plants to the maximum extent possible, and coordinating the operation of some stations on diesel fuel.

These steps are precautionary and intended to maintain the stability of the natural gas network and avoid load reduction on the electricity grid.