Lebanon requests permission to transport Qatari gas via Jordan

AMMAN, Jordan

Lebanon has officially requested permission from Jordan to transport Qatari gas via Jordanian territories, the Jordanian energy minister said on Sunday.

“Jordan has given its initial approval of the request,” Saleh al-Kharabsheh told the local Hala Akhbar radio.

The minister said Amman will examine the quantities of gas that need to be transported.

“Jordan is ready to review any proposal to (transport gas supplies to Lebanon) in case Beirut reaches an agreement with any supplying party,” he said.

Lebanon suffers from a severe shortage of electricity supply due to insufficient fuel needed for power generation, in addition to a sharp rise in the prices of derivatives due to the collapse of the lira, and the lack of foreign exchange needed for imports.

On Tuesday, Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayad held talks in Doha with his Qatari counterpart Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi to discuss ways to secure gas for Lebanese electricity plants.

In September, the energy and oil ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon agreed on a road map to supply Beirut with Egyptian electricity and gas, to resolve the country’s energy crisis.

As for supplying Lebanon with electricity via Syria, al-Kharabsheh said the Syrian interconnection lines are being maintained before supplying Lebanon with Jordanian electricity.

Jordan and Syria are electricity-interconnected via a 400 kV transmission line since 2001, but it has been out of service since 2012 due to technical reasons.

Meanwhile, Syria has interconnection lines with Lebanon by transmission lines of 400 kV, 230 kV, and 66 kV.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar