Political row threatens Lebanon with shutdown of last functioning power plant

Political row threatens Lebanon with shutdown of last functioning power plant

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s only functioning power plant has been shut down as a result of a worsening political dispute between caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the rival Free Patriotic Movement, which controls the country’s energy ministry.

The closure threatens to plunge Lebanon into almost complete darkness.

Electricite du Liban, known as EDL, urged the authorities to solve the issue by opening the necessary credits to unload fuel ships after a row over advanced payments led to a delay in gas oil shipments.