Energy

EDL: At the Heart of Lebanon’s Energy Crisis

Electricity rationing is the rule, contrary to all logic in a nation-state framework. A quarter of a century after the end of the Civil War, the Lebanese remain dependent on alternative means of energy supply – mostly at the mercy of the neighborhood private generator supplier. Électricité du Liban (EDL) will long remain in Lebanon’s history ...

Energy Crisis: Lebanon Between Regional Opportunities and Internal Blockages

Arab support for the revival of Lebanon’s energy sector is back in the spotlight. On the sidelines of the Arab Summit in Amman, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reopened this crucial file with his Jordanian counterpart. Shortly after, Lebanese Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi discussed the main points of energy ...

EDL Crisis: No Power Without a Regulatory Authority

Power plant maintenance is resuming, the local fuel market is well supplied, and electricity rationing is beginning to ease gradually. These improvements raise the prospect of an average electricity supply of twelve hours per day. Yet, without activating the Regulatory Authority – mandated by law for more than twenty years – the resolution of ...

Trump Tells UK to Drill Oil, Stop Building Wind Turbines

US President Donald Trump on Friday urged Britain to drill for more oil rather than build wind turbines, just a fortnight after Washington signed a trade deal with London. "Our negotiated deal with the United Kingdom is working out well for all," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I strongly recommend to them, however, that in order to ...

Turkey to Increase Energy Exports to Syria, Says Minister

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Thursday in Damascus that his country would ramp up energy exports to Syria to help boost electricity supplies as its neighbour seeks to recover after years of war. "We want to triple our current electricity exports to meet Syria's electricity needs, and realise an electricity export of ...

Iraq Signs Mega-Energy Deal with Chinese Oil Firm

Iraq signed a major energy deal Wednesday with a Chinese petroleum company in the southern province of Basra, aiming to boost oil production and build a refinery and electricity plants. China has gained a major foothold in oil-rich Iraq in recent years, becoming a major player across various sectors and now one of the largest importers of Iraqi ...

Lebanese and Iraqi Prime Ministers Discuss Closer Ties Before Summit

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met on Friday with his Iraqi counterpart, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, in Baghdad to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation ahead of the 34th Arab Summit. Talks focused on energy, economic ties, and cultural exchange, with both leaders emphasizing the need to strengthen Arab unity in the face of regional ...

Lebanon Seeks World Bank Loans to Boost Energy, Water Sectors

Lebanon is advancing efforts to tackle its energy and water crises by activating two major loans from the World Bank. Finance Minister Yassine Jaber announced that the Council of Ministers has approved Decree No. 217, tied to a $250 million loan to develop renewable energy and strengthen the national power grid. The project, prepared on an urgent ...

Lebanon Sees Opportunity in US Sanctions Shift on Syria, Says Energy Minister

Minister of Energy Joe Saddi expressed cautious optimism on Friday following the United States’ surprise decision to lift certain sanctions on Syria, suggesting the move could breathe new life into long-stalled regional energy projects vital to Lebanon’s power sector. Speaking to the Markazia news agency, Saddi said the US initiative may ...

Google Agrees to Fund Three US Nuclear Plants

Tech giant Google and nuclear developer Elementl Power have signed an agreement to develop three advanced nuclear power plants in the United States, according to a statement released Wednesday. The partnership comes as technology companies seek new power sources to meet the growing energy demands of the generative AI revolution. Under the ...

Lebanon and Iraq Deepen Energy Ties with Renewed Oil Agreement

Lebanon and Iraq have renewed a key energy deal through which Baghdad will supply Beirut with two million tons of crude oil, now under new payment terms that reflect shifting regional dynamics. In a notable departure from past arrangements, Lebanon has agreed to settle its dues in US dollars via direct transfers from the Banque du Liban, ending ...

Kremlin Refuses to Say If Halt on Ukraine Energy Strikes Would be Extended

The Kremlin on Wednesday declined to specify when a 30-day moratorium on strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure would end -- or whether it would be extended -- just hours before the agreement was set to expire. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 18 he had ordered his army to halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 ...