Egypt’s Cabinet Spokesperson Mohamed El-Homsany said the country will save nearly $1 billion annually through the daily power-cut scheme, adding that the sum will be used to buy necessary supplies like foodstuffs and medicines.

The government will halt the programme as soon as possible once the needed financial resources are obtained, El-Homsany said in a TV comment on Friday.

The government understands the cuts’ burden on Egyptians so they will not be permanent, he said without specifying when they will end.

The Egyptian government began load-shedding in July 2023 to alleviate the mounting pressure on the country's gas network, strained by rising temperatures and the use of air conditioners. 

In October 2023, the government extended the duration of the daily power cuts due to a decline in gas imports.

The cabinet restricted power cuts in January during mid-year exams and suspended them entirely during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr.

According to a cabinet statement on Saturday, the power cuts will also be suspended in churches nationwide during the Easter and Holy Week celebrations, which start on 28 April.

The cuts last one to two hours and are implemented between 11am and 5pm.

In October, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that such cuts could save EGP 108 billion annually.