The headquarters of Electricité du Liban in Beirut destroyed by the Beirut blast. (Credit: Joao Sousa/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — State supplier Electricité du Liban (EDL) has launched the first stage of its "national emergency plan to eliminate encroachments on its network of electrical cables, in coordination with security services," according to a Thursday statement.
The operation is scheduled to begin Monday, March 6, and is part of the reforms requested by international donors, including the World Bank, to support Lebanon's electricity sector.
The removal of encroachments is also a factor on which EDL will base its decision to increase its power production. In accordance with a plan announced on Jan. 27, a line of credit was opened to provide fuel for EDL's plants.
"Our team has held meetings with the relevant officials in the army and the Internal Security Forces, who will accompany us on our rounds. We have decided to launch this operation on March 6 at 9 a.m.," the EDL statement said.
EDL is slated to examine 216 cable outlets on a total of 800 boxes installed throughout the country, "in accordance with a decision of the government and the ministerial committee responsible for monitoring this issue."
Requirements of donor countries
Among other reforms demanded by the international community, including the World Bank, to finance projects to import Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity to Lebanon, the state decided to increase its tariffs, which had been frozen since 1994.
The appointment of an independent electricity authority, on the other hand, is still far stalled.
"We call on citizens to cooperate to ensure the success of this operation, in accordance with the requirements of donor countries," said EDL. Reform of the electricity sector is one prerequisite set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unlock a multibillion-dollar aid package for Lebanon.
"This operation will allow us to ensure a financial balance to this vital sector and to rebalance the distribution of electricity in an equitable manner in all regions,” the EDL statement said.
The public operator also announced its intention "to increase the hours of power supply" as part of its three-phase plan, "only at the level of cable outlets where there are no encroachments,” in accordance with an EDL general management decision issued Dec. 20, 2022.