In a major power crisis unfolding in Lebanon, the country has no centrally generated electricity after its two biggest power stations shut down due to a fuel shortage, a government official told Reuters on Saturday. The power outage is expected to continue for a few days or at least till next Monday, the official further told the news agency. According to the report, the country has plunged into "complete darkness".
"The Lebanese power network completely stopped working at noon today, and it is unlikely that it will work until next Monday, or for several days," the official said.
The official further stated that the Lebanese government has plans to use the army's fuel oil reserve to operate the power plants temporarily but, he added, that would not happen anytime soon.
The thermoelectric plant stopped at Zahrani power station after the Deir Ammar plant stopped on Friday amid a fuel shortage.
Many Lebanese normally rely on private generators run on diesel, although that is in short supply.
Lebanon has been paralysed by an economic crisis, which has deepened as supplies of imported fuel have dried up. The Lebanese currency has sunk by 90% since 2019.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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