Lebanon At Risk Of Complete Blackout Due To Diesel Fuel Deficit - Industry Representative

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2021) The ongoing fuel crisis in Lebanon could leave the country without backup power in case the state-owned power company completely stops producing electricity, Fadi Abou Chakra, the representative of the Mediterranean nation's fuel distributors, told Sputnik.

"With regards to us, we have fears that should the Lebanese Electrical Company completely stop supplying the country with electricity, then the available quantities of diesel fuel on the Lebanese market will not be sufficient to meet the country's electricity demands," Abou Chakra said.

Plagued by constant power cuts, the Mediterranean nation's businesses developed a chain of autonomous electricity generators that provide backup power during the rationed blackout periods, during which the state-owned electricity monopoly, Electricite Du Liban, diverts power from one region to another as per a pre-set schedule.

Operating on diesel fuel, backup generator owners have not been able to meet their local customer demands, resorting to cutting back on the generation of electricity in light of a fuel crisis that has worsened as importers were hit by Lebanon's liquidity crisis.

"With regards to oil products, they are a red line as they are an essential commodity for the population. Funds are still allocated, but not for the required quantities," Abou Chakra remarked when asked to comment on the possibility of authorities lifting fuel subsidies.

Manifesting in long queues at fuel stations across the country over the course of the week, the troubled Mediterranean nation's populace resorted to panic-buying gasoline and diesel fuel amid widespread speculations of an upcoming reevaluation of the subsidy mechanisms put in place to curb increasing gas prices, leading many fuel stations to shut down as fuel reserves ran low.