This is Beirut

Cabinet Session Wednesday on Energy, Technology, and Beirut Port Recovery

This is Beirut, 12/08 14:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Cabinet WorldBank Energy Technology Beirut

The Cabinet will convene on Wednesday at the Grand Serail to debate a set of high-impact national issues, with a major focus on securing international financing and advancing critical infrastructure projects. At the forefront is a $250 million loan agreement with the World Bank to fund the Renewable Energy and Power System Enhancement Project. ...

Iraq Announces Nationwide Power Outage amid 'Record' Heat

This is Beirut, 11/08 19:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Iraq Energy Climate Change

Power was out on Monday across Iraq as scorching summer temperatures pushed demand on the electricity grid to unprecedented levels, authorities said. The electricity ministry said the grid suffered a "total outage" as heat reached 48-50°C in Baghdad and central and southern regions. It said two transmission lines were shut down "due to a record ...

Turkey Starts Supplying Azerbaijani Gas to Boost Syria's Power Output

This is Beirut, 02/08 13:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey Azerbaijan Syria Energy

Turkey on Saturday began supplying natural gas from Azerbaijan to Syria, whose infrastructure has been ravaged by a long civil war, with annual deliveries expected to reach up to two billion cubic meters. Syria's Islamist authorities, who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December, are seeking to rebuild the battered country where power cuts can ...

UK Joins New EU Sanctions Targeting Russia Oil Exports

This is Beirut, 18/07 17:45 - Reading : less than a minute

United Kingdom Europe Russia Ukraine Energy

The UK on Friday joined the EU's sweeping new package of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, targeting its energy sector by lowering a price cap for Moscow's oil exports. "We're striking at the heart of the Russian energy sector alongside the EU. Together we will continue to apply relentless pressure on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, ...

Strait of Hormuz: Is Iran Ready to Gamble with Global Energy Stability?

Liliane Mokbel, 15/06 14:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Gulf Israel Strait of Hormuz Iran economy energy

As the Middle East flares up amid mounting tensions between Iran and Israel, one urgent question dominates global attention: Is Tehran ready to close the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial lifeline for the world’s energy supply? On Friday night, Emmanuel Macron sounded a stark warning. In a statement, the French president cautioned, “We must brace ...

Sunny Greece Struggles with Solar Energy Overload

This is Beirut, 10/06 18:05 - Reading : less than a minute

Greece solar energy

Greece is now racing to build battery storage amid fears of losing its surplus energy.

Joe Saddi Seeks US Support to Reform Lebanon’s Energy Sector

This is Beirut, 02/06 16:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Washington Energy Reform Syria WorldBank

Lebanon’s Minister of Energy and Water, Joe Saddi, is on an official visit to Washington, where he has held a series of high-level meetings with United States officials and World Bank representatives in a bid to secure international backing for Lebanon’s ailing energy sector. Saddi met with Laura Lochman, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for ...

EDL Crisis: No Power Without a Regulatory Authority

Liliane Mokbel, 30/05 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks EDL Energy Power

Power plant maintenance is resuming, the local fuel market is well supplied, and electricity rationing is beginning to ease gradually. These improvements raise the prospect of an average electricity supply of twelve hours per day. Yet, without activating the Regulatory Authority – mandated by law for more than twenty years – the resolution of ...

Syria Inks $7 Bn Energy Deal With Qatari, Turkish, US Firms

This is Beirut, 29/05 18:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Turkey Syria Qatar Energy

Syria signed a $7 billion energy deal on Thursday with a consortium of Qatari, Turkish, and US companies as it seeks to revive the war-torn country's crippled power sector. The agreement was sealed at the presidential palace in Damascus in the presence of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US ambassador Thomas Barrack. It aims to generate ...

Energy Crisis: Lebanon Between Regional Opportunities and Internal Blockages

Liliane Mokbel, 29/05 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

EDL Europe Hezbollah US Congress Energy

Arab support for the revival of Lebanon’s energy sector is back in the spotlight. On the sidelines of the Arab Summit in Amman, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reopened this crucial file with his Jordanian counterpart. Shortly after, Lebanese Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi discussed the main points of energy ...

EDL: At the Heart of Lebanon’s Energy Crisis

Liliane Mokbel, 27/05 12:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks Beirut International Airport EDL Energy

Electricity rationing is the rule, contrary to all logic in a nation-state framework. A quarter of a century after the end of the Civil War, the Lebanese remain dependent on alternative means of energy supply – mostly at the mercy of the neighborhood private generator supplier. Électricité du Liban (EDL) will long remain in Lebanon’s history ...

Trump Tells UK to Drill Oil, Stop Building Wind Turbines

This is Beirut, 23/05 14:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump United Kingdom Energy

US President Donald Trump on Friday urged Britain to drill for more oil rather than build wind turbines, just a fortnight after Washington signed a trade deal with London. "Our negotiated deal with the United Kingdom is working out well for all," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I strongly recommend to them, however, that in order to ...

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