The Impact of the War on Iran on Sudan’s Electricity Sector

Mohamed Abdel Rahim Jawish
Khartoum, the beating heart of Sudan, has begun to recover from the war that erupted on Saturday, 15 April 2023. Many citizens who were displaced by the conflict—either within Sudan or abroad—are awaiting the restoration of electricity in their areas before returning. They watch closely as transformers arrive and engineers and electricity workers labour to rebuild the national power network.
At the same time, concern has begun to grow about the potential effects of the Israel–US war against Iran—also launched on a Saturday—on Sudan’s electricity situation, particularly if the conflict becomes prolonged. Many Sudanese who migrated to the Gulf or Egypt have begun planning to return home, and the stability of the electricity supply is a key factor in those decisions.
First, it should be noted that the global economy is highly interconnected. It is difficult for any region to isolate itself from the consequences of major international developments—especially a war involving the world’s most powerful military alliance and unfolding in a region that serves as a central hub of global supply chains. Nevertheless, the extent of the impact depends largely on how much Sudan relies on the countries involved in the conflict for the inputs required to operate its electricity sector.
At present, electricity generation within the national grid appears largely insulated from the direct effects of the war. One encouraging factor is that power generation now relies primarily on hydropower stations at the Merowe Dam, the Roseires Dam, and the Upper Atbara and Setit Dam complexes. The only thermal power station currently operating—albeit partially—is the Umm Dabakar plant, which is connected to an oil pipeline from South Sudan.
The potential negative impact on electricity generation, should the war in Iran continue for an extended period, would likely come in the form of delays in the delivery of spare parts needed to rehabilitate thermal power plants in Khartoum—such as the Martyr Mahmoud Sharif Station, the Garri Power Complex, and the Kilanib station in Port Sudan—as well as difficulties in securing furnace fuel required to operate these plants once rehabilitation is completed.
Fortunately, a considerable number of components needed for rehabilitating the power network—particularly transformers—have already arrived in Sudan, either in Khartoum or at Port Sudan. Moreover, these components are not imported from the region currently affected by the war. However, there remains the possibility that delivery schedules for the remaining equipment, as well as maritime transport costs, could be affected depending on how global supply chains evolve if the conflict continues.
Another potential negative effect could occur domestically in the transportation of equipment from Port Sudan to Khartoum and in maintenance operations, should fuel supplies be severely disrupted. Such an impact would not be limited to the electricity sector alone but would affect transportation fleets across the country.
It is striking that the world appears to be entering the tunnel of war at the very moment when Sudan is preparing to emerge from one. And perhaps, paradoxically, those who have been deeply wounded may ultimately prove less vulnerable than those who have long believed themselves untouched by conflict.

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