Beirut Lebanon January 10, ANI Sputnik A protest took place in front of the Lebanese Energy Ministry in Beirut due to ongoing power outages in various parts of the country, media reported on Monday.
According to the Lebanese broadcaster Al Jadeed, demonstrators tried to enter the ministry due to lack of electricity in Akkar, the northernmost governorate of Lebanon. Lebanese energy minister Walid Fayad appealed by video to the protesters, as he was not in the ministry at the time of the demonstration. The minister promised that electricity would be evenly distributed between the regions of the country.
The current outage is related to a conflict around the power station in the Aaramoun settlement near Beirut. Residents of the settlement tried to break into the station on Saturday, protesting power outages. The entire power grid went out of service. Electricity was temporarily cut off at the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
The energy crisis in Lebanon has been going on for over 30 years. Amid the severe economic meltdown, Beirut has not been able to provide fuel for power plants for more than six months, leaving the country without electricity for up to 20 -- 22 hours a day. In remote regions, such as Akkar, residents don't have access to state-produced electricity. The situation has created a black market for private power generators that fill the gap. Due to the increase in prices, a majority of the population is unable to pay bills for alternative sources of energy and is left without electricity.