Electricity Crisis in a New Chapter: Lebanon Held Hostage by Darkness!

The following statement has been issued by the "Electricité du Liban" (Electricity of Lebanon): "Following the statement by Electricité du Liban dated 07/07/2022, and as a continuation of the production plan set by Electricité du Liban to prolong the energy production period at its minimum possible level, until the arrival and unloading of the bulk 'gas oil' designated for July 2022, it is not expected that the use of its shipment will commence until the evening of Thursday, 28/07/2022 at the earliest, according to the latest available data from the Ministry of Energy and Water - General Directorate of Oil. Electricité du Liban informs that the Zahrani plant has again been temporarily taken out of service, following the peak of last night, 12/07/2022 (noting that its remaining stock is sufficient to operate for about 5 days, i.e., until 17/07/2022 if it continues to operate). A partial replacement of its production will be achieved by operating the Tyre and Baalbek plants until their stock of 'gas oil' runs out. After the depletion of the remaining stock at the Deir Ammar plant, expected on 25/07/2022, it will be brought back into service to maintain minimal energy production during the period from 25 to 29/07/2022, until the use of the cargo from the marine tanker designated for July 2022 begins. This is to prevent complete disruption of supply, especially to essential vital facilities in the country (airport, port, water pumps, sewage, essential state facilities...) during that period. It should be noted that the current production capacity, which stands at approximately 200 megawatts, will inevitably result in instability and volatility in the electricity network, exposing it consequently to multiple public outages, which may recur several times a day. Furthermore, the institution emphasizes once again that the shipment of gas oil for June 2022 that was unloaded in the reservoirs of the Zahrani and Deir Ammar plants was very low, not exceeding 33,900 metric tons, and therefore is barely sufficient to operate the two plants for a maximum of 18 days at half their capacity, not 30 days."