Lebanon has struggled with unresolved power supply issues since the end of the civil war in the early 1990s. Before the economic crisis began in October 2019, public electricity was provided to residents in various cities and regions for 12–18 hours a day.
In response to the ongoing crisis, Algeria’s state oil and gas company, Sonatrach, announced it will dispatch a fuel tanker to Lebanon on Wednesday evening to help restore the country’s electricity supply. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune decided to provide assistance after Électricité du Liban reported a complete electricity shutdown due to fuel shortages.
Sonatrach’s tanker, named ‘Ain Akra,’ will deliver 30,000 tonnes of fuel as the first phase of supplies, reflecting President Tebboune’s commitment to “solidarity and brotherhood” between Algeria and Lebanon.
Former advisor to the Minister of Energy and Water Resources under Hassan Diab’s government, Raja Al-Ali, warned Sputnik that Lebanon’s power plants could face a total shutdown in the coming days due to depleted fuel reserves. In this context, Israel’s threats to cut off Lebanon’s power are ineffective.
Since the crisis began, electricity supply has been reduced to just two to eight hours a day. During times when fuel reserves were exhausted and funds for new supplies were unavailable, Lebanon has experienced complete blackouts lasting several weeks. In these conditions, diesel generators have become an alternative energy source. The owners of these generators have hindered efforts to resolve the energy crisis at the state level, often lobbying to protect their business interests.
