TRIPOLI, Libya, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Libya may be facing power supply problems as foreign workers leave the country because of security concerns, authorities warned.
National security challenges have cut Libyan oil production from the pre-war level of 1.6 million barrels per day to around 700,000 bpd. A source in the Libyan Ministry of Electricity told the Libya Herald on condition of anonymity German energy company Siemens withdrew some of its staff members because of security concerns.
The company didn't respond to the paper's inquiries on specifics but issued a statement saying safety was a top priority in Libya.
The General Electric Co. of Libya warned power supply problems may last through the winter because of the staffing issues.
"The absence of these foreign professionals and experts of these companies will delay the implementation of these [utility] projects, thus causing us to be unable to meet the demand for electricity for this winter and next summer," GECOL said in a statement Monday.
The Herald reported the installation of a 450 megawatt emergency generator in Tripoli was one of the largest projects disrupted by staffing issues.
