A major fire at the eastern substation in Nouakchott caused widespread power outages, prompting Mauritania's energy ministry and SOMELEC to launch urgent repairs and reroute electricity to affected districts. Full restoration remains underway.
Mauritania's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has announced urgent measures to restore electricity supply after a fire severely damaged the eastern substation in Nouakchott on Friday. The incident led to significant power disruptions across several northern districts of the capital and parts of the Arafat area.
According to an official statement, the fire was attributed to factors beyond the ministry's control. Technical teams from the ministry and the national utility, Société mauritanienne d'électricité (SOMELEC), have been deployed to assess the damage and accelerate repairs. The ministry emphasized its commitment to finding rapid solutions to bring the substation back online.
Partial Power Restoration and Ongoing Repairs
Following the incident, SOMELEC reported that electricity was partially restored to some areas by rerouting supply through alternative substations. However, full service to the Idini line and other affected zones remains suspended as repair work continues. The fire, which broke out at 11:25 a.m. at the 33/15 kV eastern substation, disrupted power to large sections of Nouakchott's north and surrounding neighborhoods.
Government Response and Next Steps
Energy and Petroleum Minister Mohamed Ould Khaled visited the site to oversee the response and evaluate the extent of the damage. The ministry stated that technical teams are still studying options to restore the substation to normal capacity as quickly as possible. No timeline for full restoration has been provided, but authorities have pledged to keep the public informed as progress is made.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of Nouakchott's electricity infrastructure and the importance of rapid crisis management to maintain essential services. Further updates are expected as repair efforts advance.
Source: saharamedias.net
