Widespread power outage in south Lebanon

A widespread electricity outage affected southern Lebanon on Wednesday starting at 1:30 p.m., reported our local correspondent, Mountasser Abdallah. This massive blackout was due to a technical failure at the Deir Ammar power plant, which put out of service all of the Electricité du Liban (EDL) thermal power stations in the region.

The outage coincided with the near-total shutdown of hydroelectric production due to water shortages linked to drought. The water volume in Lake Qaraoun did not exceed 43 million cubic meters, while its storage capacity is estimated at 65 million cubic meters.

Numerous regions were affected, including those powered by the Litani River plants, such as Western Bekaa, Jezzine and their surroundings. EDL's technical teams then partially operated the Zahrani power plant. However, the facility's capacity does not exceed 100 megawatts.

Protesters blocked the Mashghara highway with burning tires at the northern entrance to this Western Bekaa town on Wednesday to denounce the severe power rationing that has been ongoing for several weeks, reported our correspondent in Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah. Despite residents' regular pressures and appeals, no improvement has been observed, they said.

According to Wednesday morning figures from Meteo-Liban, rainfall in Beirut this winter did not exceed 368.1 mm compared to 1,020.5 mm last winter. In Tripoli, precipitation reached 491.9 mm compared to 1,158.8 mm last winter. And in Zahle, it was limited this year to 251 mm compared to 707.6 mm in 2024.

This winter has been particularly dry in Lebanon and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Rainfall is thus insufficient to replenish groundwater and surface watercourses, foreshadowing an almost certain water shortage this summer. As early as January, which was particularly mild, Meteo-Liban's head forecaster, Jocelyne Abou Fares, explained that even if it rained in April, the precipitation would not be able to make up for the accumulated deficit.