BEIRUT: Lebanon has been in a total blackout since 9 a.m. Monday, due to a malfunction in one of the power plants that hit the electricity network, a top executive at Electricite du Liban told The Daily Star.
The executive said the blackout was due to a failure at the Zahrani power plant, which is not uncommon for the country with one of the world's worst electricity systems.
“It happens every year,” the executive said, “but this time it’s different, because the control room that handles electricity flow was moved from the headquarters to the Jumhour facility.”
Moving the central control room to another location has, he said, made the task of restoring power more difficult.
“All the equipment is at the headquarters, which is blocked by the contract workers,” he said, explaining that only the technology that was movable, and not even all of that, was transported three weeks ago to the other facility.
While Lebanon has been experiencing intensive rationing for weeks, with EDL warning against a possible blackout if contract workers continue their occupation, Monday’s incident was sudden and unexpected.
Usually, Lebanon’s electricity output is less than 1,600 megawatts, while its electricity needs are over 2,400 megawatts. As a result, all areas in Lebanon are subject to a degree of electricity rationing.
However, two weeks ago, a malfunction emerged in the electricity network near UNESCO that increased the rationing in Beirut from 3 hours a day to nearly 14.
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