LBCI receives report in which Mikati suggests an alternative for electricity-generating ships

Disputes among the ministerial committee charged with assessing the rental of electricity-generating ships went off, and the committee failed to hold a meeting to issue the final report. Consequently, the report of PM Najib Mikati remained the only report submitted to the cabinet.         

LBCI received a copy of this report in which Mikati wrote down his remarks on the bidding procedures; he said that it is impossible to ensure power production before the end of summer, adding that any new plant will need one year to start operating.        

“This means that the time difference between renting electricity through ships and producing electricity through a modern and permanent plant will amount to 8 months maximum”, Mikati said.       

In the report, Mikati suggested a bidding process to ensure 500 Megawatts by building new sophisticated plants, in addition to the emergency plan to ensure 700 Megawatts.          

The prime minister summed up the positive aspects of this solution that would “pave the way for building a modern and sophisticated power plant in a year”. He said that one power plant can produce 500 Megawatts, which is threefold the power generated by the ships. “Also, the cost of generating power through one or many plants will be, for the same output, way less than the electricity-generating ships”, he said.         

Mikati said that the power generated by the ships will not increase the number of supply hours currently adopted under the rationing program.           

In conclusion, Mikati left the final decision to the cabinet that will convene next Wednesday with an agenda including the electricity-generating ships.