Lebanon's state power provider. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — A source at the Grand Serail told L'Orient Today Monday evening that caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati is expected to schedule a cabinet meeting — a controversial measure, given the current presidential vacancy — to discuss the ongoing electricity crisis.
A second ministerial source said that the cabinet meeting could be scheduled by Mikati "in the coming hours."
The cabinet is expected to discuss granting Electricité du Liban (EDL) a $62 million line of credit purchase fuel for its power grids.
In a statement issued last Wednesday, EDL announced it was forced to shut down its two largest power plants, Zahrani (South Lebanon) and Deir Ammar (North Lebanon) — each with a capacity of 430 megawatts (MW) — due to the depletion of its fuel reserve.
This latest blackout occurred amid a political tug-of-war that pits caretaker Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayad against caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati.
These tensions are part of a broader political context pitting the camp of former President Michel Aoun against various opponents, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, with whom the finance minister is affiliated.
The ships carrying the needed fuel are anchored off the coast of Beirut and each day of delay costs the state $18,000 per ship.
The Amal Movement, headed by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, slammed the political faceoff in a statement on Monday.
“The difficulties the Lebanese citizen is facing, especially regarding the electricity crisis, transcend political resentment and the quarrels that some parties are trying to foment are not in the interest of citizens," the party stated.
Forces of Change MP and former Beirut Bar president Melhem Khalaf also criticized the deadlock. He tweeted Sunday that “fuel has been off the shore for weeks” and Lebanon has not been able to pay for it.
"As usual, they have no sense, no decision, no responsibility, no conscience,” Khalaf continued, adding that the "natural place" for those hindering the fuel shipments is “prison.”
Reporting contributed by Wael Taleb and Hoda Chédid.