Protests over prolonged electricity cuts in western Libya escalated when demonstrators entered the strategic Mellitah oil and gas complex, interrupting fuel supplies to power stations and raising fears of a wider blackout. Authorities later secured the site and gas flows resumed, but demonstrations continued as extreme heat pushed the country's ageing grid and divided political system under renewed pressure.
The Associated Press reported that protesters had demonstrated for several days in Tripoli, Zawiya, Misrata and other western cities, where outages have lasted for hours. Some demanded improved electricity services and the resignation of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al Jazeera reported temperatures above 48 degrees Celsius and outages of about 10 hours a day in some areas.
Libya's National Oil Corporation said the closure of lines at Mellitah caused a severe shortage of gas and fuel for electricity generation. The disruption forced several generating units offline, halted production at the El Feel oilfield and partially suspended the Wafa field. Mellitah, about 90 kilometres west of Tripoli, also supplies gas to Italy through a subsea pipeline, giving the facility importance beyond Libya.
Dbeibah's Government of National Unity said the Defence Ministry secured the complex, protected workers and enabled supplies to restart. The oil corporation subsequently authorised renewed gas production and normal pumping, while ANSA reported that activity also resumed at El Feel, Wafa and the offshore Sabratha platform. The intervention reduced the immediate threat of a nationwide grid collapse.
The underlying crisis remains unresolved. Energy specialists cited by Al Jazeera said unfinished power projects, old plants, weak transmission infrastructure and delayed maintenance have left supply unable to match demand. A former electricity official said two planned 1,400-megawatt steam plants remain incomplete, while annual demand can rise by as much as 600 megawatts.
The unrest adds pressure to a country divided between Dbeibah's internationally recognised administration in Tripoli and a rival eastern government. Libya has endured institutional fragmentation since conflict split the country in 2014 despite a 2020 ceasefire. Restoring stable electricity will require authorities to protect energy sites, complete delayed infrastructure and address protesters' demands without allowing renewed disruptions to deepen the shortage.
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