Lebanon Plunges into Complete Darkness as Gas Oil Runs out to Fuel Power Plants

An exterior view of the building of the Lebanese Electricity Company "Electricite du Liban", in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 August 2024.  (EPA)
An exterior view of the building of the Lebanese Electricity Company "Electricite du Liban", in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 August 2024. (EPA)
TT

Lebanon Plunges into Complete Darkness as Gas Oil Runs out to Fuel Power Plants

An exterior view of the building of the Lebanese Electricity Company "Electricite du Liban", in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 August 2024.  (EPA)
An exterior view of the building of the Lebanese Electricity Company "Electricite du Liban", in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 August 2024. (EPA)

Lebanon officially plunged into complete darkness on Saturday as it ran out of gas oil to run power plants.

The state electricity company, Electricite du Liban (EDL), declared that the Zahrani plant – the last operational station - had run out of fuel, leaving the country without power.

State institutions now have to rely on private generators to keep running.

EDL said power should be restored once the “concerned parties tackle the issue of supplying it with gas oil, whether in line with the agreement with Iraq or through another source.”

Caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad tasked EDL and the Litani River Authority to dedicate their remaining services to ensuring that water supplies keep being provided.

Beirut Rafik Hariri Airport Director Fadi al-Hassan said the facility – Lebanon's sole airport – was running on power provided by generators, hoping the crisis would be resolve swiftly.

Lebanese Forces MP Razi al-Hajj slammed the renewed electricity crisis, saying that billions of dollars have been pumped into the sector to resolve it and the country is yet again in darkness.

In a post on the X platform, he said: “Forty billion have been spent on the sector since 2010. We have been waiting for 24/24 electricity for 40 years.”

He slammed officials for repeatedly resorting to temporary solutions without seeking ones that address the root causes of the crisis.

“The solution is simple: decentralizing the sector. Let the private sector handle production, distribution and tax collection. We have had enough,” he added.

Officials have traded blame over the crisis. The energy minister has blamed the Central Bank for failing to pay Iraq its dues. The bank, meanwhile, has called on parliament to grant it authorization to do so.

MP Sagih Atieh said EDL was the primary culprit for “failing to collect taxes. This is the direct reason for the crisis.” He noted that some institutions have also failed to pay their dues.

Three years ago, Lebanon and Iraq inked an agreement to provide Lebanon with fuel for power generation.

Acting Central Bank Governor Wassim Mansouri has been refusing to transfer funds to pay Lebanon’s part of the deal from the emergency foreign currency reserves, saying such a move requires parliament’s authorization.

EDL doesn’t have the necessary funds to pay Iraq itself.

Economic and financial experts unanimously agree that nearly half of Lebanon’s public debt – a staggering 100 billion dollars – is a result of the electricity sector and efforts to address the chronic power shortages.



EU's Borrell Urges Pressure on Israel, Hezbollah to Accept US Ceasefire Proposal

File photo: EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell attend the plenary session during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 16, 2024. Urs Flueeler/Pool via REUTERS
File photo: EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell attend the plenary session during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 16, 2024. Urs Flueeler/Pool via REUTERS
TT

EU's Borrell Urges Pressure on Israel, Hezbollah to Accept US Ceasefire Proposal

File photo: EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell attend the plenary session during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 16, 2024. Urs Flueeler/Pool via REUTERS
File photo: EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell attend the plenary session during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 16, 2024. Urs Flueeler/Pool via REUTERS

The European Union's foreign policy chief called on Sunday during a visit to Beirut for pressure to be exerted on both the Israeli government and on Lebanon's Hezbollah to accept a US ceasefire proposal.
Speaking at a news conference in Beirut, Josep Borell also urged Lebanese leaders to pick a president to end a two-year power vacuum in the country, and he pledged 200 million euros in support for Lebanon's armed forces.
US envoy Amos Hochstein traveled to the region earlier this week in pursuit of a deal to end months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has erupted into full-on war.
Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.