Lebanon might not be without electricity for much longer

The interim government of Lebanon has approved a $116 million advance from the treasury to help sustain the country’s struggling energy infrastructure which will mean that Lebanon wont be without electricity for such long periods anymore. The funding, which is intended to provide a provisional solution to the nation’s electricity crisis, will be used to purchase 66,000 tonnes of diesel fuel and to maintain power plants.

However, an additional $184 million will only be provided if a ministerial committee is established and regular reports are made to it. The Minister of Energy and Water, Walid Fayad, did not participate in the session due to “constitutional reasons” and referred to the approval of the advance as “a half victory.”

He went on to say that this was only a temporary fix and that a more comprehensive approach was needed. The electricity sector in Lebanon is in disarray due to financial woes and political impasse, causing the previous plan proposed by Dr. Fayad to be ineffective.

Lebanon’s two most used power plants have occasionally broken down and require heavy maintenance.

On Monday, Lebanese Energy Minister, Walid Fayad, announced an initiative to solve the country’s chronic power outages at a cost of $600 million over a period of five months to ramp up electricity supplies to 10 hours per day.

Since 2019, Lebanon has been plagued by a crippling economic crisis that, according to the World Bank, is one of the worst the world has seen in modern times.

Why is Lebanon without electricity

Lebanon has been experiencing regular blackouts due to a combination of factors, including a lack of investment in the country’s energy infrastructure, mismanagement of resources, and political instability.

One of the main reasons for the blackouts is the country’s chronic power generation deficit, which has been exacerbated by a lack of investment in new power plants and maintenance of existing ones. The country’s energy sector is also heavily reliant on expensive fuel imports, which have become increasingly difficult to afford due to the country’s ongoing financial crisis.

Additionally, the country’s political instability and corruption have also played a role in the blackouts. The country has been without a permanent government for long periods of time and the lack of political will to address the energy crisis has led to a lack of reform and investment in the sector.

The electricity sector in Lebanon is run by the state, which has been facing financial woes and political impasse, causing the previous electricity plan proposed by Dr. Fayad to be rendered ineffective. The World Bank refers to this financial disaster as a “deliberate depression” and it is typically attributed to the corrupt and careless behavior of the political figures in Lebanon.

Tags : Lebanon