Lebanon’s Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, decided on Wednesday to crack down on private electricity generator owners amid widespread complaints about unregulated operations and inflated tariffs. The move follows reports of generators operating without proper meters, ignoring environmental standards and manipulating prices.
Minister of Information Paul Morcos said the Cabinet tasked the relevant authorities with strict monitoring of generator compliance, ensuring the installation of certified electronic meters and filters, submission of permits and adherence to environmental regulations. Owners of private generators have been given 45 days to regularize their operations. Noncompliance will trigger legal measures, including fines, seizure of generators and referrals to the judiciary.
The Cabinet session also touched on other pressing issues. Satellite internet services, including Starlink, are under review, with security concerns addressed and final approval postponed for further consultation. A follow-up session on wastewater and solid waste management is scheduled for tomorrow, and in November, the government plans a special session to examine public sector development.
Other Cabinet decisions include rejecting a draft law to amend judicial investigator powers, approving stricter penalties for assaults on healthcare personnel, recruiting additional sergeants and trainees for the Internal Security Forces and appointing Mohammed Salim Zaatari as Director-General of the Rafic Hariri University Hospital.
Minister Morcos told the press that discussions on general amnesty will focus on reducing penalties rather than a full pardon, and emphasized that recent meetings with Iranian officials reflect official government positions. Illegal gambling issues and other urgent public matters will be addressed in upcoming sessions.
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