- Lebanon expects a total blackout by the end of September
- Gas shortages cripple electricity generation
- Egypt to deliver natural gas to Lebanon through Syria and Jordan
In a statement, Lebanon’s state-owned electricity company, Electricite du Liban (EDL), has announced that the country may experience a nationwide blackout by the end of September if the current gas shortages persist. Lebanon currently faces severe gas shortages failing several sectors of its economy.
“The network already experienced total blackouts across the country seven times, and if this continues, there is a high risk of reaching total and complete blackout by end September,” the statement read. EDL says it can no longer secure Grade A and Grade B fuel oil reserves for some of its power plants, forcing production shutdown.
In July, Lebanon reached a deal with Iraq to sell 1 million tonnes of heavy fuel oil to Iraq in exchange for usable oil. Also, earlier this month, Lebanon reached another agreement with Egypt to deliver natural gas through Syrian and Jordanian pipelines.
“Egypt is working to speed up coordination for the delivery of Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon through Jordan and Syria, given Egypt’s keenness to ease the burdens of the Lebanese people and to contribute to supporting Lebanon’s stability,” Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek Al-Molla said.