Lebanon’s power problems: serious talk but no easy fixes

Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan energy chiefs affirmed their willingness to facilitate transfers of gas to Lebanon.

Beirut, Lebanon- Lebanon’s continuing economic crisis has created a fuel shortage, adding extended power cuts to the miseries of Lebanese already dealing with skyrocketing inflation and shortages of other basic goods. While experts have said a proposal recently put forth by the US ambassador here to revive a transnational gas pipeline running from Egypt to Lebanon could help alleviate the problem, it is far from a long-term solution for the country’s continuing failure to generate sufficient electricity. “It’s not a new idea. From 2009 to 2010, gas was being pumped through Egypt to Jordan and through Syria to Lebanon,” Diana Kaissy, a board member of the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative and an expert on energy governance, told Al Jazeera.