TRIPOLI, Libya
The internationally-recognised government in divided Libya said it has ordered the army to regain control of a gas plant after a group of protesters forced their way in, risking a blackout.
"The head of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdelhamid Dbeibah, has ordered the ministry of defence and the general staff of the armed forces to immediately take full control of the Mellitah gas complex and to reopen the gas pipelines and gas supply to the country's power plants," it said.
On Monday night, protesters angered by frequent and prolonged power cuts forced entry to the site, bringing it to a halt.
"Several groups of people entered the Mellitah complex to shut off the gas valves supplying power plants, which threatens to put several plants out of service and increases the likelihood of a general collapse of the power grid," electricity company GECOL said.
The situation is "extremely critical", it added.
"Negotiations are underway to persuade the protesters to allow operations to resume," an official at the complex told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Their presence "poses a high risk" to the operation of the gas complex and its control rooms, the official said.
Overnight, scores of young people dumped rubbish in front of the headquarters of oil and gas companies in Tripoli, chanting "The people want the fall of the regime," in protest against power cuts and the high cost of living.
The vast complex supplies natural gas to several Libyan power plants for local electricity production.
With the most abundant oil reserves in Africa, Libya plunged into war during the ouster in 2011 of former leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
Two governments are currently vying for power there: a UN-recognised administration in Tripoli and a rival in the east of the country backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
In recent days, hundreds of residents of the Tripoli area have demonstrated against interruptions in the power supply.
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