Sudan's electricity network is facing a worsening crisis after drone strikes disabled power substations in two northern towns, extending a campaign of attacks that has disrupted essential services across large parts of the war-torn country.
The latest strikes hit Al-Dabbah in Northern State and Abu Hamad in River Nile State on Sunday, November 1, leaving both communities without electricity.
Sudanese authorities and the rights organisation Emergency Lawyers blamed the attacks on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been fighting the country's army since April 2023.
The RSF had not responded to the latest allegations when the Associated Press published its report.
The attacks have intensified fears that Sudan's already weakened electricity system could suffer a broader breakdown, with hospitals, water supplies, food production and businesses increasingly affected.
Two northern towns lose electricity
In Al-Dabbah, residents reported an explosion during the early hours of Sunday before electricity supplies failed.
The town's main substation was subsequently found severely damaged by fire.
A security guard at the facility, identified locally as Mohammed al-Nour, was killed, according to residents interviewed by the Associated Press.
The outage affected businesses, bakeries, hospitals and households.
Local residents said shortages of diesel were making it difficult to operate generators, leaving communities with few alternatives to the damaged electricity network.
Al-Dabbah also hosts people displaced by fighting elsewhere in Sudan, including those who fled the Rapid Support Forces' capture of Al-Fasher in Darfur.
The loss of electricity therefore affects communities already struggling with the consequences of war and displacement.
In Abu Hamad, local authorities reported that another drone strike destroyed a transformer station, interrupting electricity supplies to the town and surrounding villages.
The local security committee reported no casualties from that particular strike.
Sudan Tribune separately reported attacks near military facilities and fuel installations in the Al-Multaqa area, southeast of Al-Dabbah, where local sources said a woman was killed.
Those additional casualty reports have not been independently established by Universaladage.
A growing campaign against electricity infrastructure
The latest incidents follow repeated attacks on electricity installations across territory controlled by Sudan's military.
On October 26, Reuters reported that strikes attributed by Sudan's state electricity company to the RSF had disrupted supplies in Sennar, Al Qadarif, White Nile and Gezira states.
The company said several substations suffered severe damage, warning that the attacks threatened the stability of the national electricity network.
Further incidents were reported during the following days.
The Um Dabakir thermal power station in White Nile State, one of Sudan's most important thermal generating facilities, was struck during the final week of October.
According to information provided to the Associated Press by electricity-sector personnel, the attack destroyed four transformers and damaged three generating units.
The facility was subsequently shut down.
Another strike damaged Shendi's main electricity substation, adding to disruptions in River Nile State.
The cumulative damage has placed increasing pressure on the remaining functioning power facilities.
Emergency Lawyers said 15 substations had been targeted since early October.
Sudan Tribune reported a slightly different count of approximately 14 power stations affected over the preceding two weeks.
The reports describe overlapping attacks, but their precise totals have not been independently reconciled.
Merowe Dam becomes increasingly important
The destruction of generating and distribution facilities has increased Sudan's dependence on the Merowe hydroelectric dam.
Located on the Nile in northern Sudan, the dam has an installed generating capacity of approximately 1,250 megawatts.
An employee of Sudan Electricity Holding Company told the Associated Press that Merowe had become the country's last major functioning electricity source, providing more than 70% of available power.
According to the same source, national electricity generation had already declined from approximately 4,400 megawatts before the war to around 1,100 megawatts before the latest attacks.
Those figures illustrate the extent of the electricity crisis.
However, they are attributed operational estimates, not the results of a newly published independent nationwide energy audit.
Merowe's importance also means that further damage to transmission networks or generating facilities could have consequences extending beyond the communities directly affected.
Hospitals and water supplies under pressure
The consequences of electricity disruption extend well beyond household lighting.
The Sudan Doctors Network has warned that prolonged blackouts threaten hospital operations, dialysis services, blood banks and the refrigeration required to preserve medicines and vaccines.
Hospitals that rely on electricity for emergency treatment and essential equipment face additional difficulties when backup fuel is unavailable.
Water systems are also vulnerable because pumping, treatment and distribution infrastructure depend on reliable power.
In agricultural communities, electricity is needed to operate irrigation pumps.
The latest outages have occurred as farmers prepare for the winter growing season, raising concerns about agricultural production and food security.
Bakeries and other small businesses have also been affected.
Some residents have turned to generators and solar power, but the cost of equipment and fuel remains beyond the means of many households.
These disruptions are occurring in a country already facing widespread displacement, hunger and severe damage to civilian infrastructure.
Government orders heightened security measures
Sudan's cabinet met on Sunday and ordered heightened security measures in response to the repeated drone attacks.
According to Sudan Tribune, government spokesperson Graham Abdelqadir said authorities had instructed security services to increase vigilance and strengthen protection around electricity installations.
The government also warned of penalties for anyone found to have provided targeting information to the RSF.
Sudanese authorities have accused Ethiopia of allowing drones to be launched from its territory and alleged that the United Arab Emirates supplied the equipment.
These are allegations made by Sudanese officials.
The available reporting does not independently establish where the drones were launched or who supplied them.
The UAE has repeatedly denied providing arms to the RSF.
The RSF had not provided a response to the latest allegations when the AP report was published.
The wider humanitarian emergency
Sudan's war began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The conflict has devastated cities, displaced millions and damaged infrastructure essential to civilian life.
At least 59,000 deaths have been recorded in estimates cited by the Associated Press, although humanitarian organisations warn that the actual number could be substantially higher.
Approximately 13 million people have been displaced.
Parts of the country are also experiencing famine conditions.
The destruction of electricity infrastructure threatens to deepen those emergencies by interrupting medical care, water supplies, food storage and agricultural production.
International humanitarian organisations have repeatedly warned that attacks affecting essential civilian services can have consequences far beyond the immediate location of a strike.
Under international humanitarian law, civilian infrastructure is protected from attack unless it qualifies as a military objective under the applicable legal rules. Even then, the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack continue to apply.
Determining whether a particular strike violated those rules requires evidence about the target, circumstances and expected civilian harm.
What happens next
Sudanese authorities say they are strengthening protection around power facilities while technicians attempt to restore damaged infrastructure.
The extent of the damage means repairs could take considerable time, particularly where transformers and generating equipment have been destroyed.
Electricity-sector workers also face the challenge of restoring services while further attacks remain possible.
For communities affected by the latest blackouts, the immediate priorities are electricity, clean water, medical services and access to affordable food.
For Sudan's wider population, the concern is that continued attacks could further undermine an already fragile national power system.
The confirmed development is that new strikes disabled substations in Al-Dabbah and Abu Hamad on November 1, adding to extensive earlier damage.
Sudan's power grid has not been independently confirmed to have collapsed nationwide.
Nevertheless, the cumulative damage and the country's increasing dependence on a limited number of functioning facilities represent a serious threat to essential services and civilian survival.
