From Naharnet: http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&659DDFF3EE312D3CC22577490067F8E6

Cabinet Approves Electricity Plan that Seeks to Lower Losses, Ecological and Economic Costs

The Cabinet on Monday approved an ambitious electricity plan drawn by Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil.
"Bassil's plan includes initiatives related to the electricity infrastructure and the sources of alternative energy as well as the implementation programs and the financing channels," Information Minister Tareq Mitri told reporters after Cabinet's extraordinary session on Monday -- the first day of summer which Bassil said should symbolize the beginning of a solution to power cuts.

"It was agreed that Minister Bassil would submit a report every six months to the Cabinet about the accomplished phases of the plan," Mitri added.

The plan gives priority to the types of energy which cause the lowest damage to the environment, depending mainly on gas and renewable energy.

It encompasses the setting up of liquefied gas infrastructure and gas pipelines along the Lebanese coast.

The blueprint submitted by Bassil puts a legal frame for the transitional period and is apt to create an energy sector with a 5,000-megawatt capacity by the year 2015.

The plan's implementation requires funding by the State, the private sector and donor nations. It would lead to lowering the energy sector's losses sustained by the state treasury as well as the economic costs sustained by citizens and business owners who use generators to tide them over during lengthy blackouts.

Let me know what are your opinions about this and is there a way we can get our hands on the draft? I would really like to read the plan.

Thanks,