Electricité du Liban announced in a statement that it has "forced the Zahrani plant out of service for five days to conduct a partial inspection (Minor Inspection) by the manufacturer Siemens on the only unit that is operational, which has exceeded //41,000// equivalent operating hours (EOH). This is to potentially extend its operating period as much as possible up to //2,000// equivalent operating hours, if approved by the manufacturer, due to the inability to perform general maintenance on the two gas units at the Zahrani plant, due to insufficient foreign currency (Fresh Dollars) available for maintenance over the past two years, especially under the difficult economic, financial, and monetary circumstances the country is experiencing. It is noted that the operating hours of the first unit exceeded //41,000// hours since the end of 2021. As a result, the remaining thermal production capacity currently on the network is only from the Deir Ammar plant operating with one gas unit and one and a half steam units and from the Tyre plant operating with only one unit, resulting in a total thermal production capacity of approximately //230// megawatts, in addition to the hydroelectric output from the Qadisha and Bared plants which is about //10// megawatts. Consequently, this total low production capacity has negatively affected the stability and reliability of the electrical network, leading to frequent general blackouts and can barely meet the needs of essential facilities in the country (airport, port, water pumps, sewage, and essential state facilities).
Electricité du Liban reiterated that the electrical energy generated from its production plants solely relies on the quantities of fuel supplied to it by the Ministry of Energy and Water - General Directorate of Oil, under the exchange agreement concluded between the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Lebanon, where the shipment supplied monthly does not exceed approximately //33,000// ± 10% metric tons at maximum. This has resulted in significant difficulty in maintaining a continuous energy production until the following month's shipment arrives, especially since this low quantity, given that the Zahrani and Deir Ammar plants are operating at half their production capacity, i.e., one gas unit in each plant, is sufficient to operate them for a maximum of //18// days and not //30// days (one month). It is noted that Electricité du Liban has informed all relevant parties regarding this issue through several official correspondences.
Therefore, Electricité du Liban reaffirms its utmost efforts and the precautionary measures it is taking to the best of its abilities in light of these circumstances beyond its control and responsibility, to maintain a minimum level of stability and reliability in electricity supply as much as possible."
