AMMAN, Aug 9 (AFP) - Jordan suffered an precedented nationwide power cut Monday night when electricity generation was abruptly halted at the kingdom`s main plant in the Red Sea port of Aqaba, officials said.
Energy Minister Azmi Khreissat said a "technical fault in the Aqaba power station" caused the blackout, but another official told AFP that the cause was the interruption of supplies of Egyptian gas to the plant.
The minister told the official Petra news agency that the state power utility had "taken the necessary emergency measures to restore electricity to certain districts of the capital and some other regions of the country".
He did not elaborate on the reasons for the "technical fault" in the thermal generator at Aqaba but promised that a "technical comittee of top officials from the power sector and the energy ministry will investigate."
However the second official, who asked not to be identified, said it was the interruption of the flow of gas from Egypt that had plunged the country into darkness.
"The supply of gas, which comes from Egypt, stopped apparently for technical reasons, causing the stoppage of the plant," he said.
"If the gas supply starts again, the power station will again function normally and the (electric) current will be re-established."
The pipeline between the Egyptian resort of Taba and Aqaba carries liquefied natural gas (LNG). Jordan imports 1.1 billion cubic metres (38.8 billion cubic feet) from Egypt every year, mostly to feed the power station at Aqaba.