Libya power grid in the east is on the verge of a catastrophic collapse, a senior GECOL engineer has warned.  His warning is being echoed in t west of the country. Tripoli, Benghazi, Sebha, Kufra and Marj are among many places where power is out for hours at a time and in Benghazi this week, one district endured a cut lasting three days.

On Tuesday, a press conference in Tripoli on the power problems was interrupted by a power cut. So too was the trial of leading Qaddafi-era figures as the judge was reading out the death sentence on Saif Al-Islam .

Power shortages are also impacting  production in oil fields, thus further reducing exportable output and indeed the supply of gas and oil to power stations.

Damage to infrastructure caused by fighting is particularly great in Benghazi, where GECOL engineers have sought to repair wrecked pylons, damaged transformers and blown-up underground cabling, often within range of Daesh mortars and snipers.

Source: Libya Herald