Cyprus to import power from breakaway north

Cyprus is to import electricity from the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north as it vies to make up a shortfall in supply triggered by the crippling of its largest power plant, the government spokesman said on Saturday. The request to the Turkish Cypriot power utility was submitted by the president of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Manthos Mavrommatis, and not directly by the island's internationally recognised Greek Cypriot governmment, the official CNA news agency reported. But the request was submitted "with the approval of the government of the Republic of Cyprus, after legal advice from the Law Office," CNA quoted government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou as saying. A huge explosion in a seized Iranian munitions cache stored at a Greek Cyriot naval base on Monday left 13 people dead and caused massive damage to the adjacent Vassiliko power station which had accounted for more than half of the island's power generation. As Cyprus withers under scorching summer temperatures, authorities have imposed rolling two-hour power cuts while they scramble to boost supply. An Israeli ship has brought 10 small generators to Cyprus while more are expected from Greece, as EU crisis funds are made available.