'Undeclared Alliance' Blocks Agreement on 'Costly' Electricity Plan
A ministerial meeting held Monday failed to reach a final agreement on an electricity plan suggested by Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil, under which $1.2 billion would be earmarked to buy 700 Megawatts of electricity.
“The four-phase plan, which will cost the state $5 billion, should be flawless legally and administratively in order to gain approval,” ministerial sources told LBC television.
MTV, meanwhile, quoted ministerial sources as saying that “it is unlikely the electricity plan will be approved during tomorrow’s (Tuesday’s) cabinet session in Beiteddine because of the undeclared alliance between the ministers of (Premier Najib) Miqati, (President Michel) Suleiman, (MP Walid) Jumblat and (Speaker Nabih) Berri, who are seeking to guarantee that the plan be adopted according to rules and regulations.”
Briefing reporters after the ministerial meeting, acting information minister Wael Abu Faour said “discussions during the meeting were technical, scientific and free of any political considerations or calculations.”
Discussions “focused on a number of issues, choices and resources that will be included in the electricity plan,” Abu Faour added.
“The most important point was the one mentioned by the energy minister and I personally believe that it includes answers to several questions that will be raised later,” Abu Faour noted, quoting Bassil as saying that “the cabinet’s role will be decisive in any future plan and there is full commitment to the applicable laws in this regard.”
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