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ELECTRICITY

EDL announces return to 'normal' electricity supply

Since Wednesday morning, the public provider has increased its supply and is aiming for six to eight hours of electricity per day.

EDL announces return to 'normal' electricity supply

Electric poles near an Électricité du Liban (EDL) station in Jamhour on Aug. 22, 2024. (Credit: Philippe Hage Boutros)

Electricity supply has been gradually returning to 'normal' since Wednesday morning, announced Électricité du Liban (EDL) on Thursday, which had recently rationed its supply due to a lack of fuel. "Since Wednesday morning, the electricity supply has been gradually returning to normal, reaching around six to eight hours per day across the entire Lebanese territory," specified the public provider.

In a statement, EDL explained that it had to ration production due to a delay in the delivery of the last fuel shipment expected under the barter agreement between Iraq and Lebanon, concluded in the summer of 2021 and extended several times. "Despite these measures, the reserves of the Zahrani power plant were completely depleted, while those of the Deir Ammar power plant were enough for 10 hours" when the new cargo could be unloaded, according to the statement.

The contract formalizing the new extension was signed on Feb. 12 by the new energy minister, Joe Saddi. It was negotiated under the tenure of his predecessor, Walid Fayad, who was officially replaced on Feb. 8, the date of the formation of the Nawaf Salam government.

In its statement, EDL claimed that an "existing problem with the Iraqi side" caused the delay, and it was resolved by the concerned parties within the framework of the fuel exchange agreement. It denied press reports that claimed otherwise. The ship carrying the fuel to be unloaded was anchored off the coast of the Deir Ammar power plant in Northern Lebanon on Feb. 17. According to a source at EDL, the fuel testing took longer than expected, and the fuel was only unloaded on Feb. 25.

Structural shortcomings

The new supply contract will take effect on March 1. A source at EDL confirmed that, under the old contract, Iraq still had to deliver a shipment of crude oil, which was to be swapped for a shipment of compatible fuel by a third party chosen by the Lebanese state, according to the mechanism of the agreement binding Lebanon and Iraq. This source mentioned a volume of "14,000 tons" and not 120,000, as indicated earlier this week by another well-informed source. We have not been able to confirm this information accurately.

EDL added that the fuel supply schedule and the evolution of its stocks are not the only parameters considered to modulate its production. The company also cited the scheduling of maintenance operations for its plants, as well as the state of its financial capacities, which determine its ability to cover new shipments urgently or pay for repairs.

The electricity sector in Lebanon is jammed with structural shortcomings and insufficient capacities to meet the country's needs, which relies on private generator owners to cope with the production deficit. The new contract between Lebanon and Iraq comes into effect on March 1 and concerns an amount ranging from 1.5 to 2 million tons over a year, or 500,000 more than the range provided in the previous contract. It was concluded per the agreement signed in the summer of 2021 between Iraq and Lebanon and has been renewed since. It stipulates that Iraq, through SOMO, the public agency responsible for marketing Iraqi oil, provides a monthly shipment of crude oil to a third party, which, in return, delivers to Lebanon a volume of fuel compatible with EDL's plants and whose value is equivalent to that of the received crude fuel.

This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.

Electricity supply has been gradually returning to 'normal' since Wednesday morning, announced Électricité du Liban (EDL) on Thursday, which had recently rationed its supply due to a lack of fuel. "Since Wednesday morning, the electricity supply has been gradually returning to normal, reaching around six to eight hours per day across the entire Lebanese territory," specified the public provider.In a statement, EDL explained that it had to ration production due to a delay in the delivery of the last fuel shipment expected under the barter agreement between Iraq and Lebanon, concluded in the summer of 2021 and extended several times. "Despite these measures, the reserves of the Zahrani power plant were completely depleted, while those of the Deir Ammar power plant were enough for 10 hours" when the new cargo...