Jordan offers to supply Lebanon with electric power

Aug 28, 2008 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Jordan Times

Amman - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaldoun Qteishat on Wednesday expressed Jordan's readiness to provide Lebanon with electric power.

Qteishat made the proposal at a meeting yesterday with electricity and energy ministers of Egypt, Syria and Lebanon to discuss the latter's request for electric energy, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said.

Expressing the Kingdom's willingness to meet the Lebanese request, Qteishat said Jordan can supply electricity either through the joint electric grid or by generating electricity and selling it to Lebanon, or by both.

According to Qteishat, the Kingdom offered to sign an agreement with Lebanon to provide it, on daily basis, with 50 to 70 megawatts of electricity at special prices until the end of 2009.

Lebanon's Electricity and Water Minister Alain Tabourian said: "We are examining the possibility of Jordan providing us with electric energy at prices that could reduce [our] cost".

Lebanon has been suffering from a shortage of electric power and its production capacity is well short of its needs.

The Lebanese official said his country was also searching for other economic means to meet its energy needs.

During yesterday's meeting, Qteishat said, talks covered supply mechanisms, timings and the capacities of the concerned countries.

He added that Lebanon had earlier asked Egypt, Syria and Jordan to provide it with 200 megawatts round-the-clock.

The three countries are part of the joint electric grid project, which also links Iraq, Libya and Turkey.

Later on the day, Prime Minister Nader Dahabi met with the electricity ministers who briefed him on the results of their meeting.

The ministers also highlighted the energy strategies and experiences of their coun