The Board of Directors of the Electricité du Liban Corporation issued a statement, including a general warning to cut off electricity supply, especially to the public sector, stressing the activation of bill collection and campaigns to remove infringements. Text of the statement: The statement stated: “Given the state of emergency and force majeure, in light of the exceptional circumstances prevailing in Lebanon and the region, especially the unprecedented rise in the prices of petroleum derivatives as a result of the consequences of the war in the region, as the global price levels for gas oil approached 1,500 US dollars per metric ton, while the Electricité du Liban had prepared its budget for this year 2026 based on a price of about 680 US dollars, that is, an increase ranging from 88% to 91%. Globally, this is something that exceeds the financial capacity of the Corporation to bear, as it is a global problem affecting the oil sector and must be addressed at the level of the Lebanese government as a force majeure, in addition to the repercussions of the war on Lebanon, especially non-technical waste and low rates of collecting electricity bills in several regions, in addition to the accumulation of arrears of bills resulting from public administrations and public institutions, including water departments, municipalities, and others, which has had a sharp negative impact on the finances of the Electricité du Liban Corporation, and threatens the continuity of Public utility and sustainability of electricity supply to citizens and vital public facilities in the country, After numerous correspondences directed by the Electricité du Liban Corporation to several parties in this regard, the Corporation’s Board of Directors, at the invitation of the Chairman of the Board of Directors - the General Director, held a special and emergency session this morning, August 14, 2026, in which it took a number of exceptional decisions with the aim of confronting these exceptional circumstances, the most prominent of which are: - Giving a period of five working days, starting next Monday, August 17, 2026, to all public departments and institutions, including water departments, municipalities, and all public sector persons, with the exception of government hospitals, to pay their due arrears and electricity bills to the institution, provided that the electricity supply is cut off after this period has passed for those that do not comply with this within the aforementioned period. - Activating communication with those concerned about starting to collect electricity consumption bills in Palestinian refugee camps, within a month from this date. - Reactivating campaigns to remove attacks on the network, with the support of the security forces, and in coordination with the competent judicial authorities. - Activating and accelerating the collection of arrears in electricity bills, and establishing a mechanism for this purpose with distribution service providers. - Reducing feeding hours in areas where rates of non-technical waste are high and where bill collection rates are low, and concentrating feeding hours as much as is currently possible in areas that record the lowest rates of non-technical waste. While the Board of Directors of the Electricité du Liban Corporation stresses the need for public administrations and institutions, including water departments and the general public sector, to respond to pay their financial obligations in terms of electricity bills as soon as they are due, in addition to the arrears accumulated on them, otherwise the corporation will be forced to cut off electricity supply to those that are behind in paying, with the exception of government hospitals for humanitarian reasons, The Corporation also warns of the continued infringements on the electrical network, as violators will bear all legal and financial responsibilities resulting from these infringements. This statement is considered a general warning to all participants and violators, including public departments and institutions, including water departments, municipalities, and all public sector persons, while the Corporation reserves its right to take all measures it deems appropriate in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.