BEIRUT: Caretaker Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil said Friday that he was working with longtime fuel supplier to Lebanon Algeria to find a “loophole” solution to secure fuel for the country amid serious concerns over supply. The move comes after a lack of funds to buy additional fuel for Lebanon’s power plants has caused a recent increase in electricity rationing, which means longer power cuts across the country, except in Beirut.
Electricite du Liban had warned of a potential shortfall more than a year ago, an EDL source told The Daily Star, but the government failed to secure the funds necessary to purchase extra fuel. This led the company to increase rationing in order to preserve its fuel reserves, the source said.
Abi Khalil told The Daily Star that he and his Algerian counterpart were discussing ways that Lebanon could receive fuel from the country without having to pay for it immediately.
“We’ve been working with Algeria for 13 years [in the energy sector]. [The Algerian energy minister] said he will send us the fuel without us paying for it. It’s a kind of loophole,” he said