The Beirut International Airport might plunge into total darkness, following the decision of Primesouth, the operating company of the Deir Ammar and Zahrani power plants, to halt the operation of its power plants. This decision stems from Eléctricité Du Liban’s failure to provide its dues in foreign currency.
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Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh made an appeal through the local channel MTV following the interruption of electricity supply, stating, “The concerned parties must understand that the Beirut Airport and the Port of Beirut are red lines and must be supplied with electricity regardless of the circumstances.” He added that “the contingency plan we have adopted tonight, based on generators, is an emergency plan and not a lasting solution.”
The Director of the Beirut International Airport, Fadi al-Hassan, also addressed MTV to assure that the airport will operate according to an emergency plan.
“During the power shortage, four generators will supply the airport with electricity for 24 hours to ensure the continuity of this facility,” declared Hassan.
However, Hassan warned about the total electricity outage, citing its danger, especially since the generators cannot run for days around the clock.
“What is happening is neither logical nor sound. No airport in the world operates solely on generators,” he lamented.
When asked about the duration for which the generators could provide electricity to the airport, he replied, “It is impossible to determine, but the danger is present, and it is up to the state to find a rapid solution.”
Nevertheless, he assured that if one of the generators were to stop operating, the airport could still run on three generators.
