Algeria Will Supply Oil to Lebanon To Restore Its Electricity Supply

Massive power outage in the Lebanese capital Beirut. Photo/ @MarioNawfal

August 18, 2024 Hour: 12:48 pm

Algeria will begin supplying Lebanon with fuel oil for its power plants after Lebanon’s electricity company said the day before its supplies were exhausted, according to a radio statement by the Algerian government.

“Instructed by the Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui had a telephone conversation today with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, to inform him of the decision taken by President Tebboune to support Lebanon in these difficult circumstances by immediately providing quantities of fuel oil to operate the power plants and restore electricity to the country,” announced the Algerian Prime Minister.

Lebanon faces a deep electricity crisis, the Mid Western country has not had round-the-clock power since the 1990s and cash transfers to Lebanon’s state electricity company, Electricity of Lebanon (EDL) to cover chronic losses have contributed tens of billions of dollars to the country’s huge public debt.

The last Lebanese functional power plant was forced to close on Saturday, August 17 due to a lack of energy, mainly gas, plunging the entire territory into darkness, announced the EDL.

The state electricity company said then power supply would resume gradually once new fuel supplies were secured, either through a swap agreement with Iraq or other sources.