Beirut, Lebanon: GE (NYSE: GE) presented a comprehensive roadmap to support the 2010 Ministry of Energy and Water’s plan for the development of Lebanon’s power sector from the point of generation, to transmission, distribution and consumption at a seminar themed ‘Powering Lebanon Forward’. The event was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Water and attended by over 140 participants, including H.E. Cesar Abi Khalil, Lebanon’s Minister of Energy and Water, H.E. Elizabeth H. Richard, United States Ambassador to Lebanon, government officials, industry experts, power plant owners and operators, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors, developers, consultants and others.

H.E. Cesar Abi Khalil, Lebanon’s Minister of Energy and Water, said, “Our foremost commitment is to build the electricity infrastructure of the country to meet the shortage of power, which is important to drive infrastructure development and all-round progress. We can transform the country’s power ecosystem with the active participation of private sector corporations such as GE, whose comprehensive roadmap and technologies meet our requirements to develop the strong fundamentals needed for a sustainable energy future for our country.”

According to estimates, Lebanon has an energy shortfall of 1.5 gigawatts (GW). Moreover, the demand for power is projected to continue growing at an estimated 5 percent annually from 2018 to 2021, and at 3 percent beyond 2021 through to the end of 2030. The challenge of generation shortages is further compounded by grid-related issues such as dilapidated networks and unauthorized connections.

The roadmap has proposed to:

  • Add up to 1.5 GW through fast power technology and new simple cycle power plants that are tri-fuel capable - able to run on heavy fuel oil (HFO), light diesel oil (LDO) and natural gas, as well as wind power plants that can help to generate clean energy, in the short-term.
  • Increase power generation capacity by up to an additional 1.3 GW through new combined cycle power plants, the conversion of simple cycle power plants to combined cycle power plants so that more power can be generated from the same amount of fuel, and new wind power farms, in the medium-term.
  • Bring online up to another 2.7 GW to meet the country’s energy needs through new combined cycle power plants and renewable energy facilities, in the long-term.
  • Strengthen the grid through extensions to up to 6 existing substations and developing up to 17 new substations.
  • Install an Integrated Energy Management system to allow the Ministry to identify losses in the network. 

“GE has been present in Lebanon since the early development of its energy sector, with the first GE steam turbine in the country commissioned in 1987 and the first GE gas turbines entering operations in 1996. Today, we are excited to build upon this legacy of contributions with a comprehensive roadmap for the electrification of Lebanon that can help strengthen the country’s power sector for present and future generations and build the foundations needed to enable progress for the people,” said Midhat Mirabi, General Manager of GE’s Power Services business in the East Mediterranean, North Africa and Iraq sub-region.

GE operates across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) and has supported the development of the region’s power sector for more than 80 years. Today, more than 2,450 GE gas and steam turbines are installed by over 360 customers in MENAT and can generate up to a third of the region’s power. The company also has offices in Beirut with over 90 direct and indirect employees.

-Ends-

About GE:

GE (NYSE:GE) drives the world forward by tackling its biggest challenges. By combining world-class engineering with software and analytics, GE helps the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely. For more than 125 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today it leads new paradigms in additive manufacturing, materials science, and data analytics. GE people are global, diverse and dedicated, operating with the highest integrity and passion to fulfill GE’s mission and deliver for our customers. www.ge.com

About GE Power:

GE Power is a world energy leader providing equipment, solutions and services across the energy value chain from generation to consumption. Operating in more than 180 countries, our technology produces a third of the world’s electricity, equips 90 percent of power transmission utilities worldwide, and our software manages more than forty percent of the world’s energy. Through relentless innovation and continuous partnership with our customers, we are developing the energy technologies of the future and improving the power networks we depend on today. For more information please visit www.ge.com/power, and follow GE Power on Twitter and on LinkedIn. 

For more information please contact:

Caroline Wehbeh                                                                                 Kelly Home | Nivine William

Communications Director, GE Power, MENAT                                ASDA’A BCW

caroline.wehbeh@ge.com                                                                 kelly.home@bm.com | nivine.william@bm.com

© Press Release 2018

Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.

The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.