Libya’s state power firm in talks with Turkish companies

TRIPOLI - Reuters

REUTERS photo

Libya’s state electricity firm is in talks with Turkish firms to get them to return to carry out badly-needed maintenance work at power plants in the North African nation, a senior official with the Libyan company said.

Libya has been hit hard by power outages as fighting between rival factions damaged plants, interrupted the grid and made the import of spare parts more difficult.

A delegation from Tripoli just visited Turkey for talks with Turkish companies to discuss security measures so they can return to Libya, Ayad Suleiman al-Ghnaidi, acting executive manager at state power firm GECOL, told Reuters in Tripoli.

“Hopefully there will be good results,” he said, without giving the names of the Turkish firms.

Turkish and Western firms that used to import spare parts and help with power generation in Libya have largely left the country due to the poor security.

In November, APR Energy Plc said it had suspended its Libyan operations, citing unfinished paperwork by local authorities regarding renewal of a 450-megawatt power contract.

Libya’s turmoil has been worsened by a conflict between two governments fighting for control. Tripoli is held by a faction that expelled the country’s official premier to eastern Libya a year ago and which is not recognized by world powers.

Turkey is one of the few countries which has received officials form Tripoli.