The Lebanon Electricity Corporation issued a clarifying statement regarding the electricity supply, confirming that the hours of supply will be increased immediately upon the arrival of the "fuel oil" shipment on December 31st. It reminded all administrations, institutions, and essential facilities of the importance of paying electricity consumption bills.
The statement mentioned: "Following the statements from the Lebanon Electricity Corporation on December 13, 2023, and December 19, 2023, the Corporation informs that the current total thermal production does not exceed 150 megawatts, which is exclusively from the gas unit operational at the Zahrani plant (excluding the steam unit, which cannot operate due to the instability of the electrical network). This is due to a series of precautionary measures taken by the Corporation since December 3, 2023, which aim to delay the depletion of the fuel oil reserves that have reached their minimum limits, thus avoiding a complete blackout.
Given that this very low production capacity inherently leads to numerous difficulties in ensuring the stability of the network, which requires at least 1,000 megawatts, it threatens a complete collapse at any moment. The Corporation has previously informed this in several press releases. Just in the past week, the electrical network experienced more than fourteen (14) total blackouts across Lebanese territory (which also affects the safety of the Corporation's equipment), an issue entirely outside the control and responsibility of the Lebanon Electricity Corporation.
The Lebanon Electricity Corporation is working under very challenging technical conditions to maintain electricity supply around the clock as much as possible to essential facilities in Lebanon (airport, port, water pumps, sewage, Lebanese University, prisons, and other essential facilities), in order to prevent a complete paralysis that could lead to critical consequences.
Recent data indicates that the first part of the fuel oil shipment destined for the Lebanon Electricity Corporation, which was supposed to arrive between December 6-10, 2023, through the public tender conducted by the Ministry of Energy and Water - General Directorate of Oil via the Public Procurement Authority, is now expected between December 30-31, 2023. Therefore, the Corporation will gradually increase thermal supply to about 520 megawatts as soon as the first part of the shipment is received and unloaded.
The Lebanon Electricity Corporation urges all public administrations and institutions, especially the essential facilities in the country, to fulfill their obligations regarding the payment of all accumulated and current electricity bills for the electricity they regularly consume around the clock to manage the affairs of the country."
