source: www.dailystar.com.lb

Caretaker Energy and Water Minister Gebran Bassil promised Wednesday to supply Lebanon with 16 hours of electricity a day during the summer season despite the mounting consumption. Speaking at a news conference, Bassil said with the arrival of the Turkish electricity barge, the total power output would reach between 1,700 MW to 1,900 MW.

“This means that electricity production will rise by 50 percent and supply will reach 16 hours a day during the summer season,” Bassil said.

He noted that last summer Lebanon had received 10 to 12 hours of electricity a day.

“Next autumn and summer 2014 electricity supply to all of Lebanon will reach between 20 to 22 hours and in 2015 the country will enjoy 24 hours of electricity a day. This is the first time we have reached this capacity for a very long time,” Bassil claimed.

But some experts doubt Bassil’s claims based on previous experiences. They say the million Syrian refugees who will surely consume more power will make it very difficult to supply 16 hours a day during the summer season.

Bassil said that the second Turkish electricity barge had been scheduled to arrive in Lebanon on June 12, and adding that EDL had sent messages to the company inquiring about the delay.