A general view shows the Lebanese International Airport in the capital Beirut, on Nov. 1, 2023. (Credit: Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP)
BEIRUT — Lebanon's caretaker minister of public Works and transport, Ali Hamiyeh, denounced on Tuesday a power rationing at Beirut International Airport, pointing out that the government had demanded that it be supplied by the state-owned supplier Électricité du Liban (EDL) without interruption.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hamiyeh reported three power cuts, ranging from one to three hours on Christmas Eve, a 6-hour rationing period on Monday and a cut that has continued since 1:55 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to Hamiyeh, during these periods without public electricity, the airport resorts to the use of generators.
"Is it conceivable that this happens during the holiday season? Électricité du Liban is supposed to supply the airport with electricity 24 hours a day, in line with the government's decision to give it priority," Hamiyeh finally said.
His comments come at a time when EDL announced, a week ago, that it had taken severe measures to further restrict electricity production, already at its lowest level in Lebanon.
The reason: the public supplier has still not received an offer from a company interested in supplying suitable fuel for its power plants in exchange for a shipment of crude oil supplied by Iraq, under a barter mechanism that has been in operation for over two years.