The US is studying how it could help Lebanon address its decades-old electricity crisis, two people with direct knowledge of the talks have told The National.
The issue was raised during Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s visit to the White House last month, when the US agreed to take up Lebanon’s electricity file, study it and assess where it could provide support.
“President Aoun had many files with him, and the Trump administration showed interest in the electricity file after the meeting with the American leader,” said one of the sources. “Energy Secretary Chris Wright personally took on the file to review it.”
This is seen as a significant step given the vested interests that have benefited financially from Lebanon’s dysfunctional electricity sector, including private generator operators and Hezbollah-linked actors.
Mr Aoun visited Washington in July, where he met President Donald Trump and other senior US officials. It was the first visit by a Lebanese president to the White House since 2009. Following the meeting, Mr Trump said US airlines would be allowed to resume direct flights to Lebanon, reversing a four-decade-old ban.
Responding to questions from The National, a White House official did not directly confirm or deny whether the administration was reviewing Lebanon’s electricity file. The official said: “The US is actively talking with numerous sectors across Lebanon seeking to support their vision for Lebanon’s future free from Hezbollah influence and corruption that has plagued their country for years.”
The US is also engaged with Lebanon on energy-related issues beyond electricity, The National understands, including discussions over the possible revival of an Iraqi oil transit route through Lebanon to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. This would involve reviving the long-defunct Kirkuk-to-Mediterranean pipeline system, which once carried Iraqi crude through Syria to Baniyas and Lebanon’s Tripoli port. Lebanon and Iraq agreed last month to form a joint technical team to examine the proposal, which remains at the study stage.
Lebanese official sources confirmed to The National that the electricity file was raised during the President’s visit to the US. “The Washington conference to support Lebanon’s economy was also among the issues discussed,” the sources said, without elaborating.
Active interest
Washington has recently taken a more active interest in Beirut, as it seeks to strengthen the Lebanese state, curb the influence of the Iran-backed Hezbollah and help secure a lasting ceasefire with Israel.
US-brokered talks, some of which were hosted by the State Department, have brought Lebanon and Israel into direct negotiations. The US has also signalled further support for Lebanon’s armed forces and wider efforts to restore state authority. The US is one of the Lebanese army's most important backers, having provided more than $3 billion in support over the past two decades.
Mr Aoun, a former army commander who became head of state with strong international backing, has vowed since taking office in early 2025 to bring all weapons under state control and enact reforms. The US and regional partners have linked international support for Lebanon to progress on these issues, making clear that assistance will depend on concrete steps by the Lebanese state.
“For President Aoun, the objective of his meeting with [Mr] Trump was to build trust with him, and he managed to do that,” said one source close to the President’s circle.
Reforms needed
Lebanon’s electricity sector has long been one of the country’s most persistent problems. The International Monetary Fund has described electricity reform as critical to Lebanon’s broader fiscal and economic recovery, while repeatedly calling for stronger governing, transparency and limits on political interference in the sector. Whether the US will be willing to help address the crisis, and how, remains unclear.
“This is not the first time the US has expressed interest in helping Lebanon with electricity,” said energy analyst Marc Ayoub.
In 2021, the then-US ambassador informed former president Michel Aoun that the US had decided to assist Lebanon with electricity provision. This came after Hezbollah began importing Iranian fuel through Syria to ease a severe energy shortage, bypassing the Lebanese government’s official channels and raising the risk of US sanctions.
“That assistance, however, never materialised, for political reasons and because Lebanon was not a priority on the US agenda. The reforms that were requested also never materialised,” said Mr Ayoub.
“The mood today is different," he added. "Still, if the US is to help the country with electricity, I believe that assistance will be conditional. There will be prerequisites, including banking-sector reform, greater clarity and transparency and broader reforms."
The electricity crisis is decades old, rooted in chronic underinvestment, ageing infrastructure, high network losses and a state-run power sector that has struggled to collect enough revenue to cover generation costs.
Late last month, shortly after Mr Aoun’s trip to Washington, Lebanon launched an electricity reform aimed at restructuring Electricite du Liban (EDL), strengthening governance, attracting investment and building a sustainable power sector.
“This is a step in the right direction. It helps build trust among donors and the international community. But it needs implementation. And implementation needs financing,” said Mr Ayoub.
EDL has long provided only limited hours of power, forcing households and businesses to rely on costly private diesel generators. The situation deteriorated sharply after Lebanon’s 2019 financial collapse, when the Lebanese pound plunged in value and shortages of foreign currency made it increasingly difficult to finance fuel imports and maintain generation.
Power supplies reached a low point in 2022, when the state grid was providing as little as one to two hours of electricity a day in some periods. Supply has since improved, following tariff increases, additional fuel supplies and efforts to stabilise EDL, but the country remains heavily reliant on private generators and solar power.
Despite improvements, Lebanon has yet to resolve the structural problems that have kept its electricity sector in crisis for decades. Plans exist, but implementation has long been the challenge, compounded by political interests that have benefited from the existing system.
Mr Ayoub said the US can help by considering Lebanon as part of the new energy landscape.
“This means ensuring that Lebanon is included in the Iraq-Syria energy corridor rather than being marginalised from the project. On the gas front, the plan would provide Egyptian natural gas to Jordan for generation into additional electricity that can be transmitted to Lebanon via Syria, as well as facilitate the transfer of natural gas to Lebanon. These are projects that have been discussed previously, and the US can help turn them into reality,” he added.
Mr Ayoub also said the US can provide the necessary assurances to allow American companies and private investors to invest in Lebanon’s energy sector.
“Third, by supporting the energy and electricity sector, the US would be strengthening the Lebanese state. Washington should not wait for Hezbollah’s disarmament to happen before stepping in. Leaving the energy sector unaddressed means giving more power and money to private generators, including Hezbollah-linked actors that benefit financially from the parallel generator economy.”
