BEIRUT: Lebanon sank deeper into darkness for the past week under rationing that Electricite du Liban (EDL) officials said they were forced to apply because of electricity theft, a heat wave and power-station repairs. Apart from Beirut, most areas experienced more than 12 hours a day of power cuts, according to Daily Star correspondents, prompting citizens, merchants and industrialists to rely on private generators.

The company on Wednesday promised to reduce power rationing within 10 days but until this happens the Lebanese will be forced to rely heavily on private providers who have hiked prices.

EDL, which has long been plagued with numerous financial and administrative problems, said that the heat wave has affected some of the turbines at the Beddawi and Zahrani generating plants.

It added that the repairs in Beddawi for example will last for another week because the repair teams have to change the filters in some of the turbines.

Successive governments have faced technical problems at both stations and have appointed several international companies to carry out maintenance work.

The company denied that a fuel-oil shortage was one of the reasons behind the power cuts.

It added that the Finance Ministry is providing the necessary funds to purchase fuel to run the electricity plants.

The Finance Ministry regularly complains that EDL is one of the most troublesome sectors, adding that the government is spending more than $800 million a year to cover the deficit of the company and despite this massive cash injection power rationing is on the rise.

In addition, EDL complained that power theft has spread in many areas.

The severe electricity rationing could not have come at worse time for the Lebanese. EDL says that electricity consumption increases by more than fourfold during the summer months as households, companies and shops switch on air conditioning. http://www.dailystar.com.lb

In some instances citizens report that electricity rationing reaches 16 hours a day, especially in the South and the Bekaa Valley.

In the South, merchants and citizens complain that EDL cuts power without a prior notice, adding that rationing could be described as "random."

They added that as a result of the unexpected pressure, the private providers are forced to ration electricity supply to entire neighborhoods.

The providers say their equipment is built to operate eight hours, and the heavier demand of the past week has caused generators to overheat.

"For this reason, we are compelled to ration the use of the generators," one provider said.

A Daily Star correspondent in the South said that many shops in Sidon are receiving barely four hours of power a day from private providers.

The correspondent said that the average monthly subscription to a private generator in normal times is $30 a month but that the current crisis had prompted some providers to raise the price to $50 or even $60.

An EDL official said that the current production of electricity is 1,350 MW but the country needs 1,850 MW in the summer season because the use of air conditioning increases.

In a statement, EDL said many citizens are illegally connecting cables to the power lines, causing tremendous pressure on generating plants.

The government hopes to privatize the electricity sector in 2008 to cut the losses and improve service.

But it is not certain if the full privatization of electricity would end power theft and rationing. - The Daily Star