Electricity from the sea to power Lebanon this summer?

The date has not been specified yet but according to the Energy Ministry’s plans, two vessels to produce power will anchor near the Zouk and Jiyyeh power plants. Nine companies presented bidding offers and the cabinet called on the Ministry of Energy to assign an international consultant to study these offers and submit a report on the best offer. The consultant’s preliminary report was handed to the ministry, and the detailed report will arrive in the next few hours to be submitted to the cabinet.          

These two vessels are supposed to replace the Zouk and Jiyyeh plants that will stop operating for the next five years to be rehabilitated.           

The Zouk vessel produces 180 Megawatts and the Jiyyeh vessel produces 80 Megawatts at 20 cents per Kilowatt hour maximum, i.e. less than the 27 cents, price of one Kilowatt hour produced by the Zouk plant, 36 cents price of one Kilowatt hour produced by Tyre and Baalbek. Therefore, around 100 to 120 million dollars per year will be provided.         

At a time when demand on electricity is increasing, the Ministry of Energy is counting on the arrival of these vessels which it intends to link into the grid before summer. It will take approximately three months to prepare a place for the anchoring of each vessel and link them into the grid.