In light of the continuing crisis of forced rationing and the state’s inability to provide electricity on a regular basis, Lebanese citizens face the risk of an additional rise in private generator bills, coinciding with generator owners threatening the option of night rationing to alleviate the financial burden.
In this context, the head of the Generator Owners Association, Abdo Saadeh, revealed in a statement to “Lebanon Debate” a noticeable jump in fuel prices, explaining that the price of a ton of diesel rose from about $1,300 at the beginning of this month to reach $1,600 in the middle of this month, describing the current bills as “no longer acceptable.”
Saada pointed out that this large price difference puts generator owners facing a liquidity crisis that hinders their ability to secure the necessary quantities of fuel until the end of the month, especially since the official price is calculated on the basis of the monthly average prices. He stressed that some generator owners refrain from adhering to the pricing issued by the Ministry of Energy because it does not cover actual operating costs.
His Excellency held the Ministry of Energy and the Lebanese state primarily responsible for the electricity crisis, stressing that the generator sector is a source of livelihood for its owners, and expressing full readiness to stop operating generators permanently if the state provides 24-hour electrical coverage. He criticized the weakness of the public nutrition sector, asking about the reasons behind not operating production factories for additional hours, and proposing to provide about 12 hours of official nutrition to reduce dependence on generators and reduce bills for citizens.
Regarding possible rationing measures, Saadeh explained that some generator owners may have to resort to them if the cost continues to rise, suggesting that this period be limited to four hours at night, specifically between one in the afternoon and five in the morning, away from daytime work hours, indicating that this measure may contribute to reducing the monthly bill without precisely determining the size of the savings.
Saadeh concluded by emphasizing that the rationing option is not obligatory, but is left to agreement between the generator owner and the subscribers according to their ability to bear the cost, expressing his unwillingness to reach this option, and again calling on the state to intervene to address the rise in diesel prices and increase public feeding hours.
