Photo shows the Zouk Mosbeh power plant. (Philippe Hage Boutros/L’Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — State-owned electricity provider Electricité du Liban issued a statement on Thursday explaining that the thick black smoke seen rising from the Zouk Mosbeh power plant in Kesrouan on Tuesday was primarily due to the plant's “exceptional” usage of Grade B fuel oil instead of Grade A.
EDL clarified that the decision was taken to use the low-grade fuel oil in the Zouk Mosbeh and Jiyeh plants to prevent a "complete" loss of electricity. The statement added that providing citizens with electricity remains a priority for EDL.
The institution stated that the smoke was also due to an emergency technical failure which resulted in the use of an alternate fuel pump that caused an imbalance in the fuel-air mixture. The team on duty was able to reset the control system to circumvent the issue.
The statement noted that EDL coordinated with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Ministry of Energy to provide the airport, port, water pumping stations and other facilities with power until an Iraqi fuel shipment arrives.
In July 2021, Lebanon signed a deal to receive the oil from Iraq via a complicated arrangement under which Lebanon could exchange the heavy Iraqi fuel — which is not suited to run power plants — for more suitable fuel from third parties. Last month, Iraq agreed to extend the deal “for a period of one year, under the same conditions that were previously followed.”
The Energy Ministry issued a statement Wednesday apologizing for any environmental damage. The ministry said the Iraqi fuel was reportedly "delayed due to the latest security incidents," a reference to the recent violence in Baghdad.