Egypt copes with nearly constant blackouts

Egypt has been plagued by rolling black outs for much of the summer, leading to public discontent similar to that which led to the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

The New York Times reports that blackouts have affected every corner of the country, from the clean and affluent neighborhoods of Cairo to the impoverished villages of the Sinai Peninsula. They can last for as long as 12 hours in some cases.

When the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi was in power, a major factor that contributed to the popular protests that led to his overthrow were blackouts and gasoline shortages.

The Times reports that the Egyptian government has placed much of the blame for the blackouts on Islamists without providing too much more information.

The blackouts have tested the patience of ordinary Egyptians and even regime loyalists. The Times cites a columnist who normally supports the government, but recently called for transparency when it comes to the government's efforts to address the problem.

The blackouts have led to scenes such as surgeons performing surgery with flashlights and grocers throwing out entire refrigerators' worth of dairy products, according to the Times.

The blackouts are driven by a lack of investment in Egypt's energy infrastructure and the surge in energy demand caused by air conditioners as Egyptians fight the scorching desert heat in summer.

For example, the Egyptian government has not been able to reach an agreement with companies to build an offshore natural gas terminal. This would allow Egypt to import more natural gas and fuel its power plants.

Making matters worse is the decline in Egypt's domestic production of natural gas. The Times notes that two years ago, Egyptian natural gas production stood at 6.1 billion cubic feet per day. In 2013, that figure had decline to 5.4 billion. Production fell still further in 2014 to 4.7 billion cubic feet per day.