CAIRO, Aug 16 (Aswat Masriya) – The latest surge in power outages is owed to the delay in operating two new power plants, said Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb on Saturday. 

During the inauguration of Al-Salam hospital in Cairo, Mehleb said that companies which delayed the operation of the power plants will be held accountable.

"Construction companies which cannot abide by deadlines should not sign up to work with the government," Mehleb said. 

Since the summer of 2012, Egypt has been facing its worst energy crisis in years, with power outages on the rise. Power cuts have specifically surged since the start of this summer.

The cabinet has earlier announced a plan to operate four new power plants by this summer. The power plants should provide 3700 megawatt worth of energy. 

Mohamed Shaker, minister of electricity and renewable energy, visited on Saturday one of the new power plants in Ain al-Sokhna near Suez, reported state-run Al-Ahram. The Ain al-Sokhna power plant, expected to begin operating next month, would produce 1350 magawatt.

Almost 79% of Egypt's power plants have been operating for 10 years without maintenance, Mehleb said. He added that a technical committee has been formed to provide power plants with maintenance.

Mehleb pointed out that over 300 acts of vandalising electric pylons have been reported throughout July. The prime minister promised new legislations imposing harsher sanctions for such acts of vandalism. 

On Saturday, the ministry of interior said it was able to locate six "terrorist cells" which have been targeting power plants in the governorates of Giza, Menoufiya, Gharbiya, Kafr el-Sheikh, Sharqiya and Alexandria. The ministry added it arrested a number of them

Egypt's electricity grid underwent a number of attacks recently. Two electric pylons were bombed in October 6 City last July.

On Friday, two bombs exploded in Menoufiya governorate knocking down an electricity pylon.