The Lebanese will enjoy more hours of electricity supply starting Wednesday evening, following the arrival to Lebanon of a diesel-loaded ship to operate power plants. In addition, caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayad has received the draft of a new fuel agreement with Iraq.
Power supply hours will gradually improve, reaching four hours a day according to the supply program. This slight improvement will take place after the arrival of the tanker loaded with around 28,500 tons of fuel and the publication of the results of laboratory tests carried out in Dubai, which showed that it complied with the specifications of the Lebanese power plants.
The cargo will be unloaded at the Zahrani and Deir Ammar power plants, gradually increasing their output to 520 megawatts, or an average of 4 hours of power per day.
This is the first shipment of Iraqi fuel to arrive in Lebanon as part of the renewal of the agreement with Iraq, under which the latter will supply Lebanon with 1.5 million tons of fuel a year.
It should be noted that Iraqi fuel oil cannot be used directly in Lebanese power plants. Lebanon buys (by tender) another type of compatible fuel from other suppliers, who obtain the Iraqi fuel in exchange.
Since the beginning of December, Électricité du Liban (EDL) has been taking preventive measures to avoid a total blackout until the arrival of the fuel shipment.
The public supplier explained that it had to resort to preventive measures to extend the period of energy production as far as possible and maintain a continuous 24-hour power supply for vital installations such as the airport, the port, water pumps and sewage treatment plants, and to avoid total darkness.
Since December 3, EDL has been forced to shut down production units at the Deir Ammar plant to preserve its fuel stock, thus reducing total production capacity.
The delay in fuel delivery is attributed to flaws in the public tendering procedures carried out by the Ministry of Energy and to the conditions under which the Central Bank (BDL) opened the letters of credit.
New Trade Agreement With Iraq
Caretaker Minister Fayad has, in the meantime, received the new draft of the trade agreement with Iraq under which Lebanon will obtain around 14 million barrels of crude oil worth 1.2 billion dollars, with payment facilities for six months from the date of signature without any interest, provided that a guarantee is obtained from the BDL to pay for the cargoes if the State is unable to do so.
Fayad is expected to send a copy of the draft agreement to the legislature for approval. He is also expected to send a letter to EDL asking for its maximum production capacity and another to BDL asking for its opinion on what can be obtained in terms of letters of credit in dollars. The last step would be for him to approach the Prime Minister to sign the agreement.
Power supply hours will gradually improve, reaching four hours a day according to the supply program. This slight improvement will take place after the arrival of the tanker loaded with around 28,500 tons of fuel and the publication of the results of laboratory tests carried out in Dubai, which showed that it complied with the specifications of the Lebanese power plants.
The cargo will be unloaded at the Zahrani and Deir Ammar power plants, gradually increasing their output to 520 megawatts, or an average of 4 hours of power per day.
This is the first shipment of Iraqi fuel to arrive in Lebanon as part of the renewal of the agreement with Iraq, under which the latter will supply Lebanon with 1.5 million tons of fuel a year.
It should be noted that Iraqi fuel oil cannot be used directly in Lebanese power plants. Lebanon buys (by tender) another type of compatible fuel from other suppliers, who obtain the Iraqi fuel in exchange.
Since the beginning of December, Électricité du Liban (EDL) has been taking preventive measures to avoid a total blackout until the arrival of the fuel shipment.
The public supplier explained that it had to resort to preventive measures to extend the period of energy production as far as possible and maintain a continuous 24-hour power supply for vital installations such as the airport, the port, water pumps and sewage treatment plants, and to avoid total darkness.
Since December 3, EDL has been forced to shut down production units at the Deir Ammar plant to preserve its fuel stock, thus reducing total production capacity.
The delay in fuel delivery is attributed to flaws in the public tendering procedures carried out by the Ministry of Energy and to the conditions under which the Central Bank (BDL) opened the letters of credit.
New Trade Agreement With Iraq
Caretaker Minister Fayad has, in the meantime, received the new draft of the trade agreement with Iraq under which Lebanon will obtain around 14 million barrels of crude oil worth 1.2 billion dollars, with payment facilities for six months from the date of signature without any interest, provided that a guarantee is obtained from the BDL to pay for the cargoes if the State is unable to do so.
Fayad is expected to send a copy of the draft agreement to the legislature for approval. He is also expected to send a letter to EDL asking for its maximum production capacity and another to BDL asking for its opinion on what can be obtained in terms of letters of credit in dollars. The last step would be for him to approach the Prime Minister to sign the agreement.
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