US embassy in Libya launches solar project for regular water supplies

19 Août 2020

Tripoli, Libya, August 19  (Infosplusgabon) – The US embassy in Libya on Monday announced that solar power stations will be established along the route of the artificial river to provide the power needed to supply Tripoli with water and electricity for southern Libya and  the cities and tribes living all along the river.

The artificial river is a water supply system in Libya made up of a network of giant aqueducts stretching hundreds of kilometres, pumping water from underground water from the Libyan desert to the country’s western regions where large urban centres and vast agricultural projects are located. It ensures water supply to 80% of Libya's six million inhabitants.

In a communiué issued on Monday, the US embassy said that the solar energy project was prepared by the Libyan Programme for the Management of Public Resources (LPFM) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

It was in partnership with the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Libyan Fund for Internal Investment and development.

The communiué said that the project aims to provide electricity to water pumping stations along the Libyan artificial river, noting that the solar stations will offer job opportunities and revenues for local communities.

The US embassy added that proper and renewable energy sources will be used to ensure better reliability of the water and electricity supply in Libya.

Libya is facing a serious electricity crisis because of a production deficit of 2,500 megawatts, causing power cuts that have intensified in summer, often reaching 14 hours per day.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/OMM/GABON2020

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