In Lebanon, already scarce electricity has become a luxury

Khaled is forced to light up by candlelight, do without the internet, heating and refrigerator.

© Noé Pignède / RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Lebanon, which could well spend part of the Easter weekend in the dark.

Due to a fuel shortage, two of the country's four main power plants are shut down.

A recurring problem in the land of the Cedars, customary of power cuts for decades.

A problem made worse by the financial crisis.

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

Noé Pignède

To compensate for public electricity cuts, the Lebanese use generators which sometimes run for more than fifteen hours a day ... But with the crisis, the shortage of fuel oil and the explosion in the prices of this private electricity, many Lebanese can no longer afford this luxury.

In his little maid's room, on the roof of a building in southern Beirut, Khaled receives us by candlelight.

At home, public electricity only works a few hours a day.

The fridge ?

Heating?

Internet ?

This thirty-something has learned to do without it.

“

Before, it cut the day off when I was at work.

But all night I had power.

Now it cuts all the time.

And the generator is too expensive: it would cost me 20% of my salary, just to have electricity at home.

It's hard.

I use candles for light.

But the problem is, I don't have internet.

I have no heating in the winter.

And it's been a while since I can keep anything in the fridge.

 "

Since the devaluation of the Lebanese pound, Khaled's salary has been spent almost entirely in his rent.

But with the summer and the heat coming, he will not be able to stay at home.

"

Even if I could afford an air conditioner, I wouldn't have electricity to turn it on!"

So I'm going to spend my time in the cafe and in the restaurant.

I can't stay here.

I live under the roof, can you imagine?

I'll cook!

I was already there last summer so I can tell you: it's going to be 50 degrees inside.

"

For several years, Lebanese political leaders have been promising reforms of the electricity system, without any concrete measures being taken.

The owners of private generators continue to enrich themselves, taking advantage of the shortcomings of a failed state.

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• Lebanon