Bassil Signs Contract for Leasing Power-Generating Vessels, First Ship to Arrive after 120 Days
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil signed on Friday a contract to lease power-generating vessels from Turkey.
The contract was signed between Lebanon and Turkey’s Karadeniz company and the first ship is expected to arrive in Lebanon after 120 days.
The second ship is set to arrive after 180 days.
The contract was signed by the president of the company Orhan Karadeniz and Bassil in the presence of the Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon Inan Ozyildiz and a number of experts.
The minister said: “I believe that Lebanon wasted, for no reason, two years in which it could have resolved the electricity crisis.”
“May God forgive all who caused this delay,” he added.
“We have managed to obtain a contract that reflects the most that we can provide,” Bassil stated.
“The company pledged to ensure the arrival of the ships in a shorter time than the one that was mentioned,” said the energy minister.
“As part of the Lebanese government, we must provide all that we can to help shorten the waiting period,” he stressed.
The three-year contract, he said, should help make up for the power shortage that will be caused by the rehabilitation of the Zouk and Jiyeh power plants.
The rehabilitation cannot take place without the arrival of the ships, he explained.
Cabinet had agreed in March to lease power-generating vessels that would help provide 700 megawatts of electricity for a period of three years.
Lebanon’s daily energy need is 2,300 megawatts, while its current power plants only provide it with 1,500.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/46528 |