Politics1 min read

Lebanon cuts power to public bodies as electricity crisis deepens

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Energy Minister Joe Saddi launched the targeted disconnections to challenge Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's administration over unaddressed power company debts and persistent energy deficits. Saddi and three other Lebanese Forces ministers have escalated the dispute by boycotting cabinet sessions and opposing the draft 2027 budget. Meanwhile, state electricity provision in Beirut has collapsed to between two and four hours per day, forcing citizens to turn to costly private generators.

Key points

  • Disconnections at roughly 100 public entities demonstrate the severity of the financial g…: Disconnections at roughly 100 public entities demonstrate the severity of the financial gridlock gripping state operations.
  • Deep political divisions and cabinet boycotts continue to delay broad reforms required to…: Deep political divisions and cabinet boycotts continue to delay broad reforms required to address systemic corruption and aging infrastructure.
  • The failure of the state electrical grid leaves citizens increasingly vulnerable to costl…: The failure of the state electrical grid leaves citizens increasingly vulnerable to costly private diesel generators tied to political factions.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Political disputes and war worsen Lebanon’s electricity crisis, as experts say deeper reforms are necessary.

Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanon’s Ministry of Energy and Water has begun shutting down the supply of electricity to approximately 100 public institutions that have outstanding bill payments, according to local media.

The decision, which began to take effect on Monday, marks a further escalation in Energy Minister Joe Saddi’s dispute with the government. Saddi recently began boycotting cabinet meetings over what he claims is the government’s failure to address his demands to increase power supply, reduce the burden of fuel costs and settle unpaid bills to the state-owned electricity company.

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Lebanon has struggled with power cuts for years, but state-provided electricity dropped sharply following the 2019 economic and banking crisis. In Beirut, for example, electricity supplied by the state was once available for about…

Politics