Guinea: Power cuts in Conakry June 4-8

Event

Guinean Electricity (EDG) has warned customers that unscheduled power cuts will take place in Conakry from Monday, June 4, through Friday, June 8. Outages will occur between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00 (local time). According to EDG, fuel supplies are running low at power stations due to delays in the arrival of fuel shipments. Demonstrations related to the power outages are possible in the coming days.

Context

Protests broke out in January 2018 following similar recurrent blackouts in Conakry. Much of the country’s electricity come from hydroelectric plants, currently affected by low water levels.

Blackout-related protests are relatively common in Guinea. Civil society protest groups, mainly organized by the political opposition, denounce what they claim is a failure of governance by President Alpha Condé and his party to address the country's poor economic performance. Demonstrators also regularly protest corruption, the high cost of living, public health issues, and insecurity. Clashes often break out at these protests between anti-government demonstrators and police.

Advice

Individuals in Conakry are advised to anticipate frequent blackouts in the coming weeks and to keep battery-operated devices fully charged whenever possible. In addition, individuals are advised to be cautious when driving or crossing streets if traffic signals are not functioning. Furthermore, individuals are advised to avoid all demonstrations, to follow all instructions issued by authorities, and to anticipate travel disruptions in affected areas.