Qatari electricity lifeline for Lebanon includes two power plants, LNG supply deal

OCTOBER 19, 2026 18:29Qatar plans to build two power plants in Lebanon over the next three years and sign a 20-year liquefied natural gas supply deal as part of a proposal to revive the ailing Lebanese power sector, Reuters said.Lebanon's energy sector is at the center of the country's financial and economic malaise, contributing tens of billions of dollars to the national debt since the country's 1975-1990 civil war even as it failed to deliver 24/7 power.The state power company currently supplies just a few hours of power per day, with the rest coming from expensive private diesel generators that spew toxic exhaust often seen forming a yellow-grey layer of smog above Beirut.Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani visited Lebanon last week and publicly promised to help revitalize the country's power sector. Few details were then presented to reporters.But according to a proposal drafted with input from the Lebanese and Qatari governments, dated October 2026 and seen by Reuters, the program "covers gas-fired power generation, LNG supply and regasification, renewable energy, battery storage, and regional electricity interconnections".Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (C-L) introduces Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani (C-R) to members of parliament at the Governmental Palace, during his official visit to Lebanon, in Beirut on October 16, 2026. (credit: Joseph EID / AFP via Getty Images)Funding and guarantees remain under negotiation"The program aims to attract private/project financing without upfront Lebanese public-budget capital expenditure; payment obligations and guarantees remain subject to negotiation," the document said.The blueprint, named the National Integrated Energy Investment Program, still requires the approval of both governments and is subject to amendment, a person familiar with the matter said.They set the implementation timeframe at three years if approvals come swiftly.Qatar has long been a financial and political backer of Lebanon, stepping in multiple times over the last decades during political and economic crises.The Qatari Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposed plan. Lebanon's energy minister also did not respond to a request for comment.Proposal follows growing Qatari presence in SyriaAccording to the document, the plan includes two new combined-cycle plants at Deir Ammar in northern Lebanon and at Zahrani in the south, each at a capacity of 825 megawatts.QatarEnergy would also enter a 20-year LNG supply agreement with Lebanon, using both a floating storage and regasification unit with a capacity of 3.5 million cubic meters per day, and the Arab Gas Pipeline via Syria at a capacity of 4.5 million cubic meters per day.The proposal also includes plans for 800 MW of solar and 440 MW of wind, battery capacity, and power imports from Syria, beginning with 300 MW via two separate routes.Numerous proposals to reform Lebanon's power sector and provide electricity through the national grid have repeatedly stalled due to political bickering and the vested interests of senior politicians in the fuel and energy sectors.The proposal would build on Qatar's growing presence in neighboring Syria, where the Qatari conglomerate Power International Holding has secured contracts for 5,000 MW of power generation, as well as oil and gas extraction and pipelines.Follow us on Google