Aden (South24 Center)

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Several governorates in South Yemen have been experiencing escalating power outages in recent days, amid warnings of a worsening crisis due to persistent fuel shortages and intensifying heatwaves.

In Al-Mahra Governorate, the Public Electricity Corporation warned on Wednesday (April 15) of an imminent shutdown of power plants due to fuel depletion and delays in the arrival of necessary supplies.

Residents told South24 that outages have reached approximately 3 hours off for every 3 hours of operation, with warnings that this ratio may worsen if supplies continue to be delayed.

In the capital, Aden, outages have surged to nearly 6 hours for every 2 hours of electricity, marking a noticeable decline in service in recent periods, according to local accounts provided to South24.

The service had seen relative improvement in previous months following Saudi interventions that led to limited regularity in fuel supplies, before deteriorating again, highlighting the fragility of temporary solutions in the face of a chronic crisis.

In Hadramout, the service recorded 4 hours of outages for every 2 hours of operation, amid mounting pressure on the power grid due to rising demand.

On April 13, the Minister of Electricity discussed alternative options to secure fuel, including transporting crude oil from Hadramout and Shabwa to Aden by sea to ensure supply stability.

On the same day, Prime Minister Shaya Al-Zindani held a meeting in Aden with the Crisis Management Committee to discuss challenges related to electricity, petroleum derivatives, and gas.

Al-Mahra also witnessed a protest on April 9, where citizens demanded improved services, a resolution to the electricity crisis, and greater empowerment of local communities to manage their own affairs.

These developments come amid a chronic electricity crisis that has plagued South Yemen for years, exacerbated by disruptions in fuel supplies and deteriorating infrastructure.

On January 18, the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) signed an agreement with the Yemeni Ministry of Electricity and PetroMasila to purchase fuel derivatives worth $81.2 million, aimed at operating more than 70 power stations and stabilizing the service, raising hopes for tangible improvement.

However, these expectations are clashing with field and political complexities. In late March, the Governor of Hadramout hinted at halting oil supplies designated for Aden’s power plants and withholding revenues amid disputes over the governorate’s share of oil proceeds.

Since 2022, oil and gas exports have been halted due to Houthi attacks on export ports in Hadramout and Shabwa, depriving the government of a key source of funding and directly impacting the electricity sector.

Citizens now fear that the convergence of these factors with the onset of summer will lead to a total collapse of the service in the absence of sustainable solutions.