Juba braces for evening power cuts after utility announces six-day shutdown

JUBA – South Sudan’s capital is bracing for a week of evening power outages after the Juba Electricity Distribution Company announced a six-day shutdown for urgent maintenance at its main power plant, triggering concern among households, businesses and health facilities.

According to an urgent public notice issued on Tuesday, electricity will be switched off daily from 5:00 p.m. to midnight between Dec. 2 and Dec. 8, 2025.

“Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) wishes to inform the public that the power plant will undergo urgent maintenance starting today, 2nd December 2025, from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM daily,” the statement said.

The company said the shutdown is necessary to “ensure the continued reliability and stability of electricity generation for the city,” but the announcement has already unsettled residents across Juba.

“During this period, some areas may experience power interruptions as a result of the ongoing maintenance works. This exercise is essential to ensure the continued reliability and stability of electricity generation for the city,” it added.

The notice has triggered a rush of last-minute preparations across markets, homes and offices, with shopkeepers stocking up on candles and generator fuel, and families charging mobile phones and purchasing power banks ahead of the anticipated blackouts.

Students sitting end-of-year examinations said the outages could disrupt revision, particularly for senior four candidates.

Health facilities have begun activating backup plans to ensure uninterrupted power during nighttime medical operations, amid fears that outages could complicate emergency response.

JEDCO apologized for the inconvenience and said it would issue a detailed schedule of neighborhoods expected to be affected.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve our service delivery,” JEDCO stated.