The Zahrani power plant in South Lebanon. (CreditL Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP)
BEIRUT — In response to rumors concerning the total shutdown of state power provider Electricité du Liban’s power plants since Wednesday morning, the utility has issued a partial denial. It indicated however that its power production will alternate between the power plants of Deir Ammar in the North and Zahrani in the South, to avoid plunging Lebanon into a total blackout.
Here’s what we know:
• EDL said it turned off its power station in the North – which still has a stockpile of fuel oil– until the remaining fuel at its power station in the South runs out, adding that this should occur by tomorrow. After that, the Deir Ammar power plant will be put back into service, allowing the production of energy to be extended for a minimum of nearly four days.
• According to EDL, this is a “precautionary measure to prevent Lebanon from being plunged into total darkness,” while the country can only count on around 40,000 tons of fuel delivered each month as part of an agreement reached with Iraq nearly a year ago. If this quantity isn’t enough to allow the production of power between 2 to 3 hours per day, there will be more reductions until next Monday, while the country awaits the next delivery of diesel to be tested and unloaded.
• In a press release, EDL explains that this severe rationing is a result of the company’s increased production capacity to “cover the period of the legislative elections,” causing a faster drop in its fuel reserves during this period.