SANA'A: Sources within Yemen's ministry of electricity confirmed on Sunday that all the electrical lines linking the capital, Sana'a, to the power plant in Mareb had been fully repaired and refitted, allowing power to flow to the city without any more hindrance. For the past year, Sana'a has had to endure 22 hours at times of blackout, forcing its residents to seek alternative methods to power up their houses and businesses. When the coalition government was sworn in on the wake of the power-transfer agreement signature in Riyadh last November, the newly appointed minister of electricity immediately vowed to restore power, stressing that Yemen's industries had suffered a great deal through the power crisis and that it was time for the government to step in and ensure that no more sabotaging of the lines would occur. Despite the ministry's best efforts, Mareb tribes continued to hold the government hostage through its attacks on power lines. Detractors of the regime claimed that it was departing President Ali Abdullah Saleh who was ordering his loyalists to target the power plant and lines to discredit the new government's ability to restore order in the eyes of the people. The ruling party always maintained it was its political nemesis, al-Islah, Yemen's Islamic party which sought to create chaos and discontent. Officials told Bikyamasr.com that they had come to an agreement with local tribes, with their leaders promising that they would protect the lines and prevent further sabotage. “Mareb station will now cover the whole of Sana'a with 40% of the shortfall being allocated to neighboring provinces. Yemen should return to normal in the coming days,” an advisor to the minister told Bikyamasr.com. Saleh Sumaya, the Minister of Electricity also announced that even though he hoped that the Mareb station would continue to function safely he was considering building the capital its own power station, preventing tribes to ever blackmail the government by disrupting the country's power supply. He added that such a project would be discussed at the donors' conference. “A strategic alternative power project would be among the most issues to be considered during the donor conference on Yemen to be held in Riyadh,” he said. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/aM4eF Tags: Electricity, Mareb, Power, Sanaa Section: Latest News, Yemen
