Libya’s General Electricity Company (GECOL) announced it had suffered severe losses amounting to 62 million dinars as a result of the ongoing clashes in the capital, Tripoli.
Head of the Company’s media office Mohamed Takouri told 218News that the technical teams have not been able to enter areas of clashes during the past period, but it is likely that the losses have risen about twice.
The losses of the electricity company since 2011 has reached nearly one billion and 500 million dinars as a result of wars and thefts, which threatens the company’s infrastructure.
On Friday, GECOL reported that one of the main 220-kilovolt overhead power lines in southern Tripoli was damaged.
GECOL said the its maintenance workers rushed to the scene to fix the issue; however, the workers were subjected to mass shooting while they were fixing transmission towers, which forced them abandon the site immediately.
The company added that the company workers were about to complete the maintenance operation of the first tower at the moment of shooting, emphasizing that the safety of its employees is a priority. No injuries have been reported.
Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, whose forces hold the east of the country, launched an offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognized government.
The ongoing clashes have killed hundreds, including civilians, and displaced nearly 75,000 since they began, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). They also rendered many areas in the capital lacking power supply.
