**Repairs to Dhekelia and Vasiliko Power Stations Expected to Restore Reserve Capacity**
Repairs to two electricity generation units at the Dhekelia and Vasiliko power stations are anticipated to be finalized by Thursday, a development that could significantly enhance the reserve capacity of the electricity grid in Cyprus. Haris Zavallis, the assistant operations director of the transmission system operator, indicated that the successful return of both units to service would increase the available generation capacity from the current 1,083 megawatts (MW) to 1,248 MW.
Zavallis emphasized the importance of these repairs in stabilizing the electricity supply, stating, "If both units are repaired, there will be sufficient reserve capacity and there should be no need for any further power cuts." He noted that a clearer assessment of the situation would be available by around 6 PM on the day of the repairs.
On Wednesday, the electricity supply was disrupted for four groups of consumers across Cyprus due to rotating power cuts, which lasted no longer than 25 minutes. Zavallis explained that domestic consumers are categorized into 22 groups nationwide, which allows the transmission system operator to implement these rotating outages when necessary. This strategy is designed to protect the overall stability of the electricity grid during periods of high demand or when generation capacity is compromised.
The issues with the two generating units are attributed to their age and the ongoing scheduled maintenance program. Zavallis mentioned that the prolonged high temperatures experienced recently may have also played a role in the faults that developed. Despite these challenges, he reassured that the frequency of equipment failures is within expected operational levels, citing that there were 36 generation-related faults recorded during 2023.
As the repairs progress, the situation remains closely monitored to ensure that the electricity supply can meet demand and that consumers are not subjected to further interruptions. The successful restoration of these units is seen as a critical step in improving the reliability of Cyprus's electricity infrastructure.