- Unplanned power outages cut supply for Ivory Coast by 22%, with year-long disruptions expected.
- The mining sector losses hit $8 million; cocoa grinding heavily impacted.
Ivory Coast is experiencing a severe electricity crisis after unplanned outages at key power plants cut supply by 22%. The General Confederation of Ivory Coast Enterprises (CGECI) stated the shortages, expected to last all year, have already cost the mining sector $8 million and disrupted cocoa grinding in the world’s top cocoa producer.
On April 16, outages at Globeleq’s Azito and Eranove’s Ciprel plants caused a combined 400 MW loss. Earlier in January, Azito also faced an outage, losing 253 MW. These incidents together have cut 653 MW from the national grid, 22% of the total power supply, CGECI reported on May 10.
Due to increasing demand, the power deficit has risen to 800 MW. Both Azito and Ciprel declined to explain the outages. CGECI warned that it would take months for power production to return to normal, leading to frequent cuts and rationing until year-end.
Power distributor Compagnie Ivoirienne d’Électricité (CIE) has set up a rationing plan to ensure industries receive power for a few hours daily. A weekly outage schedule will be released. Members of the cocoa exporters’ association, GEPEX, are worried about the impact on cocoa grinding.
“Our factories run 24 hours, so we’re directly hit. It won’t improve soon. Grinding will keep decreasing,” said an anonymous grinding company head. In April, Ivory Coast’s cocoa grind fell by 19.8% year-on-year.
The country’s installed generation capacity exceeds 2,548 MW, according to the energy ministry.