Libya turns black after power outage due to blast near power station

Published August 16th, 2026 - 05:47 GMT
Libya
Libyan firefighting teams attempt to extinguish a fire at the Zawiya refinery, the second-largest oil refinery in Libya, with a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, after a storage tank belonging to the state-owned Libyan Brega Oli Company was attacked by unknown perpetrators, in al-Zawiyah on August 11, 2026. Photo by MAHMUD TURKIA / AFP

ALBAWABA - Large areas in western Libya witnessed a widespread power outage on Saturday evening, affecting the capital, Tripoli, cities along the western coast, and reaching areas in the Nafusa Mountains. 

The power cut followed the shutdown of several power generation stations after an explosion near the Zawiya power station.

The General Electricity Company said on Saturday, "The explosion caused widespread disruption within the network and the shutdown of several power generation stations, leading to a complete blackout in large parts of the western region." 

It added that "its technical teams have begun working to determine the causes and technical circumstances of the explosion, in addition to assessing the condition of the damaged stations and equipment."

Activists posted clips showing thick smoke rising from the vicinity of the Al-Harsha power station in the city of Zawiya, coinciding with the sound of an explosion and a power outage. 

The party responsible for the attacks is still unknown, while the authorities announced the opening of investigations to determine the source of the drones and the parties that planned and carried out the attacks.