Lebanon to lease power-generating ships to reduce blackouts

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil praised on Wednesday the cabinet’s decision to lease power-generating ships to help reduce severe electricity rationing in the country.

“What happened yesterday was a good gesture by the government in terms of reforming the electricity” sector, Bassil said in a press conference. (more…)

MP Qabbani: Parliament should vote on cabinet’s electricity bill version

March 14 MP Mohammad Qabbani told Future News television on Wednesday that his Future Movement parliamentary bloc wants the parliament to cast a vote on the electricity plan that includes the amendments that the cabinet made during its September 7 session. (more…)

MP Wannous: Bassil is “a disaster” for Lebanon’s electricity

March 14 MP Badr Wannous said on Tuesday that Energy Minister Gebran Bassil is “a disaster” for Lebanon’s electricity. (more…)

Nahhas: Funding of the energy bill still unresolved

Lebanon’s Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas said on Wednesday that “the funding” of the Change and Reform bloc’s electricity draft bill is the only matter which has not yet been resolved in the cabinet. (more…)

Iran removes fuel from Bushehr atomic plant, increases uranium stockpile

Iran increased its stockpile of low-enriched uranium in recent months despite intense international pressure and claims that a computer virus had slowed its program, a report Friday by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency indicates.

Iran will remove the fuel from the reactor of a Russian-built nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr, a top official said on Saturday, citing technical advice from Moscow. (more…)

Jordan suspends electricity supply to Lebanon

Jordanian authorities have suspended power supply to Lebanon due to the disruption of regional gas pipelines, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Lebanon’s state-run power company, Electricity du Liban.

The shutdown, which is likely to worsen existing power shortages in Lebanon, comes as a result of the destruction of natural gas lines from Egypt which had helped fuel Jordan’s electricity production. (more…)

Lebanon Energy Ministry’s budget approved

The Parliamentary Finance and Budget Commission approved on Monday the Energy Ministry’s budget in the presence of Energy Minister Gebran Bassil and Finance Minister Rayya al-Hassan, according to local reports. (more…)

Aridi calls protests over power cuts ‘uncivilized’

Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi said in Bint Jbeil that civilized public expression is good, but “we all lose” when people block roads and attack public utilities to protest power cuts, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Aridi acknowledged the “old deprivation in historically oppressed regions,” but said that the government has produced a plan to solve Lebanon’s electricity woes. (more…)

Bassil: water problem is much greater than the electric

Protests against the power blackouts continued over the weekend … Yesterday Hezbollah and Amal closed the Airport road with burning tires and today they blocked the road that links al-Nabatieh al-Fawqa with the city of Nabatieh with burning tires.

The Beqaa region also witnessed protests at the Masnaa road but security forces soon intervened and reopened all the roads. (more…)

Lebanon rolls out $5 billion energy plan

A proposed energy measure could eliminate electricity rationing in Lebanon in the next four years, the Lebanese energy minister said.

Lebanese Energy Minister Gebran Bassil unveiled a $5 billion plan to revamp the Lebanese electricity sector, according to local media reports. (more…)