The "Electricity of Lebanon" institution announced in a statement that "despite all previous statements and appeals related to the widespread thefts in the northern Bekaa region and across all Lebanese territories, specifically the statements related to the theft of iron networking angles belonging to high-voltage towers, it was revealed during an inspection by the technical teams of the institution on 14/11/2023 that the 220 kV high-voltage towers belonging to the Baalbek - Dir Nbouh line, Baalbek - Laboué section, have been subjected to acts of sabotage for the purpose of theft. This specifically occurred in the outskirts of the town of Al-Souaniyah in the Baalbek district, and the damages are very severe, as tower number 37 has been severed from its main base and has fallen to the ground, causing the collapse of tower number 36, as well as part of tower number 38 in addition to damage to tower number 35 and theft of the conductors."
It added: "This line has been under systematic theft for about three years, resulting in losses amounting to millions of dollars, and completing the necessary contracts for the rehabilitation of this line will take a long time, especially in light of the current shortage of hard currency. The state of electricity supply in the areas fed by the main Laboué and Hermel stations is now at risk, as the region is now only fed by the Baalbek station through 66 kV lines without any alternatives due to the collapse of the 220 kV towers, the number of which has risen to nearly 11 towers, in addition to the significant financial losses estimated in millions of dollars (Fresh Dollars)."
The institution renewed its appeal to "the security forces responsible for maintaining order, as well as the region's deputies and municipalities, municipal unions, and all supportive entities to expose the culprits and suppress these violations, which have become systematic against all of the institution's installations, especially high-voltage towers."
