The latest on Lebanon electricity sector

The Electricite du Liban (EDL) stressed on Wednesday in a statement that al-Zahrani and Deir Ammar power plants will stop working as a result of the Banque du Liban's failure to pay the company that operates both plants its dues in hard currency, as it was in accordance with the Cabinet resolutions No. 12 dated 04/14/2022 and No. 171 dated 20/05/2022 issued in this regard.

 

Accordingly, al-Zahrani plant will be completely shut down at five o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday 06/07/2022.

 

However, EDL has completed all the administrative procedures, and referred its payments in accordance with the decisions of the Council of Ministers to be paid about a month ago, but to date it has not been disbursed by the financial and monetary references concerned in the country.

 

Later in the day, EDL announced that after the evening, it was informally informed by the BDL that it had paid the operator of both plants the dues in hard currency (fresh dollar), which EDL had earlier sent to them and had the Finance Ministry's approval for.

 

As a result, EDL immediately asked the operator to reinstate al-Zahrani plant in service according to the production plan in advance, so as to keep the sustainability of energy production at a minimum for as long as possible, especially during Eid Al-Adha period, while continuing to supply the country’s essential basic facilities (airport, port, water pumps, sewage, basic facilities...).