An official in Marib’s department of electricity told Almasdar Online on Tuesday that the gas-powered electricity plant in the governorate is operational for the first time since the war broke out in 2015 and would begin providing power to residents on Thursday. The plant will serve Marib for the first time, and only Marib for now.  

The Marib plant provided electricity to Sana’a until 2014, when the Houthis took control of the capital and civil war soon followed. Previous efforts to reopen the plant were scuttled by ongoing clashes throughout the past five years, as well as disagreements between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government over the collection of revenue generated from the station. 

When it opens on May 14, the plant will have a total capacity of 40 megawatts, the official said, with the goal of expanding its capacity to 200 MW. 

Marib’s population has soared throughout Yemen’s five-year long war, as conflict migrants have sought refuge in the governorate. According to the UN, Marib now hosts nearly 750,000 displaced Yemenis, adding to the city's original population of 500,000. Local authorities have resorted to purchasing expensive electricity from private sources to meet the governorate’s growing needs. 

The official at the electricity department told Almasdar Online that the reopening of the power station will save Marib large amounts of money, which will allow the governorate to redirect the funds toward other costly public projects.  

--

Edited by Ahlam Mohsen and Casey Coombs