Sudan Power Grid: Substations Targeted by Drones

The Merowe Dam is now the last major source of electricity in Sudan, providing more than 70% of the country's power. The facility has a capacity of 1,250 megawatts, while the nation's other hydroelectric dams produce no more than 100 megawatts combined. This shift occurred after a series of drone strikes targeted power infrastructure across army-held areas in the past week.

The recent wave of attacks began on Wednesday evening when drones struck the Um Dabakir thermal power station in White Nile state. The station, which has a capacity of 500 megawatts, is the country's largest thermal plant. An employee at the Sudan Electric Holding Company said the attack destroyed four transformers and damaged three generating units. The station's director stated that White Nile and North Kordofan states are cut off from the grid, with the damage expected to last for months.

On Friday, a drone carrying four missiles hit the main substation in Shendi. The local security committee reported that the strike destroyed transformers and also hit a reserve depot and an army air defense hangar, wounding one soldier. On Sunday, strikes hit substations in Al-Dabbah in Northern state and Abu Hamad in River Nile state. Both towns lost power entirely. Emergency Lawyers, a rights group tracking the attacks, said fifteen substations have been targeted since early October.

In Al-Dabbah, an explosion occurred shortly after 4 a.m. on Sunday. Abbas Wadaa, a resident, said the blast shook houses before the power failed. Residents found the substation completely burned upon arrival after sunrise. The station's guard, Mohammed al-Nour, was killed in the attack. A large crowd attended his funeral. The outage has shut down local markets, hospitals, and bakeries.

Seif al-Rawasi, a baker in Al-Dabbah, said he has a generator but the city is out of diesel. He stated that he would eventually have to close his business without electricity. Farmers in the area face difficulties starting the winter growing season because irrigation pumps require electricity and there is no diesel available to run them. The Sudan Doctors Network warned that the outages endanger hospitals, dialysis centers, and blood banks, while also threatening the cold storage needed for medicines and vaccines.

In Abu Hamad, a drone strike on the same day destroyed the substation without causing casualties, according to the local security committee. The attacks have disrupted water supplies and halted business activity, forcing residents to buy costly alternatives. A solar business owner in Khartoum told The Associated Press earlier this year that a typical household solar system costs nearly $5,000, a price point beyond the reach of most families.

Sudan's Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that the drones were supplied by the United Arab Emirates and launched from Ethiopia. The UAE has repeatedly denied that it is arming the Rapid Support Forces. The paramilitary group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The war has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced 13 million, and pushed parts of the country into famine.