Egypt Reinstates Daylight Saving Time Starting October 26

 After seven years in abeyance, Egypt winds back the clocks, reintroducing daylight saving time (DST) at 23:59 on October 26, in a prudent move to mitigate energy consumption amidst economic hurdles.

Navigating through a strenuous economic landscape, Egypt revives daylight saving time, implementing a 60-minute regression in time on October 26. This adjustment aims to deftly maneuver through the prevailing economic intricacies by judiciously managing energy utilization, thus revitalizing a practice dormant since its suspension in 2015.

Spotlight on Energy and Economic Benefits

The return of DST is heralded by the Cabinet as a beacon of myriad benefits, with a pronounced impact on the moderation of energy usage, especially given the current economic predicament enveloping the nation. In line with a study presented by the Ministry of Electricity, daylight saving time is projected to economize about US$25 million by optimizing gas used in electricity generation, stated the Cabinet spokesperson. A subtle reduction of electricity consumption by a mere one percent translates to an impressive annual saving of $150 million, underlining the strategy's economic prudence.

Tracing Back the Ticks of Time in Egypt’s DST Journey

Historically, Egypt has oscillated in its adherence to DST, maintaining summer time for several consecutive years, only to see its discontinuation in 2015. DST, primarily endorsed for its energy-saving virtues, was subjected to a public referendum in April 2015, subsequently leading to a governmental pause of the system on April 20, 2015. Integral amendments to the laws were orchestrated, and ministers were commissioned to explore the feasibility of daylight savings time in forthcoming years.

However, the Ministry of Electricity demystified that the energy savings realized from DST application were not significantly palpable. Though DST was anticipated to make a return in 2016, starting from July 8, the governmental stance pivoted to a confirmation of its cancellation in the same year.