(30 May 2024)
LEBANON ELECTRICITY
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 2:53
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut, Lebanon – 30 May 2024
1. Various of Lebanese caretaker Minister of Economy Amin Salam at news conference
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Salam, Lebanese caretaker minister of economy:
"What guides us is that we need to turn the lights on. We need to have electricity like we have been hearing for years. And today, there is a serious offer for that. The Qatari leadership wants to help Lebanon, and we need to work with them and get results."
3. Various of news conference
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Salam, Lebanese caretaker minister of economy:
"Among those blocking (the deal) are the electricity mafias, the fuel mafia and the diesel mafia. They are all involved, and they are all blocking this. They are all involved along with the Lebanese state. Let me go further. Even though I don’t like to just target the private sector, but everyone is to blame for the delays today."
5. Various of Beirut River Solar Snake project
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Salam, Lebanese caretaker minister of economy:
"Our last concern – one that is not even of interest to us – would be for us to repeat the same scenes of political bickering that are blocking everything in the country. There were attempts last week to vilify this work. And we cannot accept becoming false witnesses over something that could light a candle in this darkness."
7. Various of solar panels on rooftops
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Salam, Lebanese caretaker minister of economy:
"There are 7,200 generators in Lebanon. (Reporter asking: And they are all working?) They are all working, but let me tell you why. When we reached a point where we talked to the municipalities to shut them down, people came at us because the state had not secured an alternative. Why do you think we are insisting on the Qatari offer? Because it provides an alternative. People, this is 400 or 500 megawatts, which is around 4-5 hours of electricity per day. However, the generator owners say: ‘okay, try to shut us down, show us. Turn them off and show us what you can provide for the people.’ The state can’t provide an alternative."
9. Various of solar panels on roofs
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Amin Salam, Lebanese caretaker minister of economy:
"The lights will not be turned on unless everyone wants to turn the lights on. Let us turn this light on now and get out of this darkness because the Lebanese people are exhausted. We are sick and tired – and this includes us in the government – because of all the political bickering and stalling that are happening in the country."
11. Salam leaving at end of news conference
STORYLINE:
Lebanon’s political class, fuel companies and private electricity providers blocked an offer by gas-rich Qatar to build three renewable energy power plants to ease the crisis-hit nation’s decades-old electricity crisis, Lebanese caretaker economy minister said Thursday.
Lebanon’s electricity crisis worsened after the country’s historic economic meltdown began in October 2019.
Power cuts often last for much of the day, leaving many reliant on expensive private generators that work on diesel and raise pollution levels.
Although many people have installed solar power systems in their homes over the past three years, most use it only to fill in when the generator is off.
Cost and space issues in urban areas have also limited solar use.
Salam said that after Qatar got no response from Lebanon regarding their offer, Doha offered to start with a 100-megawatt plant.
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