The Zouk power plant, north of Beirut. (Credit: PHB)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian energy ministers will hold a meeting in Jordan on Wednesday to establish a work plan and timetable for the delivery of Egyptian gas to Lebanon, the Jordanian television channel Al-Mamlaka reported on Sunday.
Here’s what we know:
• The United States last month said it would assist Lebanon in importing Egyptian natural gas to run Lebanon’s power plants as well as electricity drawn from the Jordanian grid. Both plans would require use of Syrian infrastructure to reach Lebanon, despite the US sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime.• On Saturday, an official Lebanese delegation visited Syria, the first of its kind in 10 years. The Syrian government told the delegation that it would help Lebanon in alleviating its electricity crisis by authorizing the transit through its territory of gas and electricity imports. The secretary-general of the Lebanese Syrian Higher Council, Nasri Khoury, said Syria was “ready” to help Lebanon with “the passage of Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity through Syrian territory.”
• The Lebanese Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar announced, however, that several logistical issues will need to be resolved before the imports can happen. In a Syria with infrastructure devastated by a decade of conflict, work will be necessary so that the energy imports can be routed through the country.
• Lebanon has been struggling with widespread and extensive electricity shortages for months now, with many areas getting little more than an hour or two of state-provided power per day.