The Zahrani power plant just shut down due to a shortage in fuel, putting Lebanon in a total blackout. It is the 3rd power plant to shut down after the Deir Ammar and Zouk plants.
The Deir Ammar and Zahrani power plants were previously operating at full power following the shut down of the Zouk plant.
Electricité du Liban (EDL) had already warned about the imminent collapse of the electrical network. Lebanon has already been dealing with a shortage of electricity and depending on private generators.
In a statement released by EDL, the shut-down of the Zahrani and Deir Ammar power plants reduced the electricity provision to below 270 megawatts.
The statement added that a new shipment of Grade-A fuel will be arriving later on Saturday and will be checked to be up to standards by Bureau Veritas, after which it will be sent to the Jiyyeh and Zouk thermal power plants.
These plants along with the others in the areas and the military electricity generators will increase the electricity supply to 500 megawatts.
EDL will look into buying fuel from oil refineries in Zahrani and Tripoli, to be paid for from the loan of $100 million from the Bank of Beirut, which was approved on Friday.
Despite all of that, EDL warned that the electricity supply will not be stable until the end of this month when the 3rd shipment of Iraqi fuel arrives.
Some villages in Lebanon have faced 3 days of no electricity. Along with the rationing from private generators, this poses a great danger on the living conditions of Lebanese citizens.
Spoilt foods, water motors being unable to operate, and the inability to operate electrical components affecting all facets of life.
The departure of the Turkish power ships, which supplied 25% of Lebanon’s electricity, adds to the demands of the power plants.