Qatar plans to build two power plants in Lebanon — Jerusalem Post
Qatar is proposing to build two gas-fired power plants in Lebanon over three years and conclude a 20-year agreement on the supply of liquefied natural gas. The initiative is part of a programme to restore the country’s energy sector, whose state electricity company currently provides power for only a few hours a day.
Two power plants and LNG
As The Jerusalem Post reports, citing Reuters, the draft National Integrated Energy Investment Programme was developed with the participation of the governments of Lebanon and Qatar. The document provides for the construction of two combined-cycle gas power plants with a capacity of 825 MW each — in Deir Ammar in the north of the country and Zahrani in the south.
The proposal also provides for QatarEnergy to conclude a 20-year LNG supply contract with Lebanon. The gas is planned to be delivered through a floating storage and regasification unit with a capacity of 3.5 million cubic metres per day, as well as through the Arab Gas Pipeline via Syria, which has a capacity of 4.5 million cubic metres per day.
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Financing terms are still being agreed
The programme also includes the construction of solar power plants with a total capacity of 800 MW, wind power plants with a capacity of 440 MW, energy storage systems, and electricity imports from Syria. At the initial stage, supplies of 300 MW via two separate routes are envisaged.
Financing and guarantees for the project are still under negotiation. The document states that the programme is expected to be implemented through private and project financing without initial expenditures from Lebanon’s state budget. The initiative requires approval from both governments to be launched, and its terms may be changed. Subject to swift approval, implementation is estimated to take three years.
During a visit to Lebanon, Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani publicly pledged to help restore the country’s energy sector. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Lebanon’s energy minister did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on the proposed plan.
