The destroyed façade of Electricité du Liban's headquarters in Beirut. (Credit: Joao Sousa/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Lebanon's Energy Ministry on Friday morning said it has begun hiring for a key power sector regulatory body, taking the final step towards unlocking World Bank financing for regional gas import deals to ease longstanding electricity shortages.
The country has signed deals to receive electricity from Jordan and natural gas from Egypt, both via Syria, which would amount to an additional 700 megawatts of power in the country's grid, increasing power supply by several hours per day.
The World Bank agreed to finance the deals if Lebanon enacts long-awaited power sector reforms by raising the price of power — a step it completed in November — and initiating a process to hire members of the Electricity Regulatory Authority.
The ministry said it had completed the last condition to unlock international financing for the agreements. A World Bank spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The transmission through war-ravaged Syria also means the
deal still requires clearance by the United States for
compliance with its Syria sanctions regime, a move that US officials have said could only come after the final approval of
the World Bank.
regulatory body, taking the final step towards unlocking World
Bank financing for regional gas import deals to ease
longstanding electricity shortages.
The country has signed deals to receive electricity from
Jordan and natural gas from Egypt, both via Syria,...