Drone attack on Merowe dam power station disrupts electricity supply

January 13, 2025 (MEROWE) – A series of drone attacks, attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), targeted the Merowe Dam power station in northern Sudan on Monday, causing widespread power outages across several states.

Sources told Reuters that multiple drones attacked the facility in the early morning, damaging a key transformer. While ground defences successfully intercepted some of the attacking drones, the assault resulted in a fire and disruption of the electricity supply.

The Sudanese army’s 19th Infantry Division, stationed in Merowe, confirmed the attack and reported “some losses” while acknowledging the successful interception of several drones by their air defences.

Cities impacted by the outage include Port Sudan, the country’s temporary capital, along with Omdurman, Atbara, and Shendi. The Merowe Dam power station provides an estimated 40% of Sudan’s electricity.

Civil defence teams promptly responded to extinguish the fire, and maintenance crews are working to restore power. This incident follows a similar drone attack last week that caused partial damage to the Merowe electricity transformer station and led to multi-day outages in the Northern State.

The RSF has increasingly utilized drone attacks against targets in the Northern and River Nile states since November, primarily focusing on airports in Atbara and Merowe, which the group claims are being used for military purposes.