Egypt denies reports of 8-hour daily electricity load shedding

The Egyptian Cabinet has issued a statement denying reports that Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced plans to implement electricity load shedding for six to eight hours daily. The government clarified that such claims were taken out of context.

During the ‘Egypt Energy March: National Achievements and Future Prospects’ session at the Egypt Forum 2026, Prime Minister Madbouly was discussing various scenarios to manage rising energy costs. He outlined three potential options: passing the full cost increase to citizens, the state absorbing the entire cost through available resources or borrowing, or maintaining current budget allocations while purchasing petroleum products at new prices within available limits.

The Cabinet noted that the third scenario, which might only meet 50% to 60% of citizen needs, could necessitate difficult measures such as load shedding. However, the government emphasized that discussing these possibilities as part of a strategic overview does not constitute an official decision to implement them. Madbouly stated that the state has chosen to absorb the energy price increases rather than passing them on to the public.