Power cuts enforced in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, June 17 (UPI) -- Energy-rich Saudi Arabia announced it will begin cutting power to factories and businesses to offset soaring demands and prevent blackouts.

The Saudi Electricity Co. said it will cut power each afternoon to several factories in an industrial area south of Jeddah to prevent massive power cuts in the commercial center, the Saudi Gazette reports.

Executives have complained the decision to cut power to the industrial centers will result in huge financial losses.

"Cutting power from factories is something that should not happen for any reason and the SEC should consider the impact of such a policy on the industrial sector in Saudi Arabia," complained Sameer Muraad, the head of the Industrial Committee in the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.

Directors at the SEC, however, said industries could offset the power shutoffs if they were resourced adequately with generators.

"We decided to cut power to factories because every industrial project should be equipped with emergency generators," said Abdussalam al-Yemni, deputy executive director of SEC public affairs.