Power returns to Lebanon after a 24-hour blackout

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In this photo, Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut remains in darkness during a power outage in March. Lebanon has had electricity cuts for decades but in recent weeks the small nation suffered severe power cuts over lack of fuel.

Hassan Ammar/AP

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Hassan Ammar/AP

Middle East
Lebanon’s central electricity grid shuts down as fuel shortages continue

Fayyad, who took on his current role after a new Lebanese government was formed in September after a 13-month impasse, said Sunday the power network had resumed «normal» operation — suggesting that enough power could be produced to allow for a few hours of use each day.

The Energy Ministry also said Sunday that the nation’s central bank has granted it $100 million in credit to import fuel and keep the power plants operating.

With the help of other Middle Eastern nations, Lebanon has been receiving fuel and power supplies in recent weeks to continue operations. The country has received a fuel shipment from Iran via Syria. The new Lebanese government is also negotiating supplies of electricity from Jordan and natural gas from Egypt, also through Syria.

The fuel shortages are a result of Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis, which has been unfolding since 2019.

The crisis has been described by the World Bank as one of the worst in the world in over 150 years. More than 70% of the country’s population is living in poverty and the national currency is in a freefall — losing 90% of its worth in two years — which has also driven unprecedented inflation and unemployment.