Electricity in Beirut: EDL hours, generator amps and keeping the lights on

In Australia the power just comes on. In Beirut you stitch it together from the state grid, a neighbourhood generator and, if you're lucky, a battery and a few solar panels.

The short version

• Électricité du Liban (EDL), the state utility, supplies only a few hours a day. In 2026 that has ranged from roughly four hours to a temporary high of seven to nine [4].
• Private neighbourhood generators fill the gaps. The Energy and Water Ministry sets a monthly price per kilowatt-hour, which reached LL48,241 (about US$0.54) on bills in the second half of 2026 [2].
• A 10-amp generator subscription using 300 kWh a month came to about US$169 at August 2026 prices [4]. Budget for that on top of rent.
• A UPS or inverter-and-battery system smooths the switchover between EDL and the generator. Rooftop solar is common in houses but harder in apartment blocks.
• Smartraveller's overall advice for Lebanon is Do not travel, and it warns that fuel and power shortages can knock out water and telecommunications too [1].

Why there are two power supplies

EDL has struggled for decades with fuel imports, old plants and unpaid bills. After the 2019 financial crisis it could barely buy fuel. Into that gap stepped thousands of private generator operators. Each one runs big diesel sets in a car park, a vacant lot or a basement, and sells power to the buildings around it through cables strung between balconies.

So most flats in Beirut have two feeds:

1. EDL ("dawlé", the state) when it's on. Cheap per unit, but you can't control when it comes.
2. The generator ("moteur" or "ishtirak", the subscription) when EDL is off. Reliable-ish, expensive, and limited to the amps you've paid for.

Some buildings also have their own generator just for the lift, the water pump and the stairwell lights, paid through the building fees.

Supply has improved and slipped back more than once. In February 2026 EDL managed about seven to nine hours a day, which Libnanews described as a temporary improvement. By September the same outlet was writing about households getting four hours of EDL alongside a high generator bill [4]. EDL's output dropped sharply in August 2026 after a delay in fuel supply [2]. The honest answer to "how many hours will I get?" is: ask the neighbours, and expect it to change.

What EDL costs

In November 2022 EDL raised its tariff for the first time since the 1990s. The new structure charges about 10 US cents per kWh for the first 100 kWh and about 27 cents for each kWh after that, billed in lira at an exchange rate set by the authorities [5]. That's still cheaper than generator power, which is why everyone runs the washing machine and the water heater the moment EDL comes on.

EDL bills arrive irregularly, and in some buildings the landlord or building committee collects them. Ask your landlord whether the EDL meter is in your name, theirs or the building's, and whether old unpaid bills are attached to the flat.

How generator subscriptions work

The ministry publishes a recommended price every month. It sets a price per kWh for metered subscribers and a fixed monthly fee depending on your amp package. Prices are higher in remote areas [3].

Ministry prices as reported by L'Orient Today at LL89,700 to the US dollar [2][3]; February figure from Libnanews [4].

Metered or flat?

Since the ministry required operators to install meters, the official model is metered: you pay for the kWh you use plus the fixed fee for your amp package [3]. Some subscribers waive the meter and agree a flat monthly price with the operator instead. A flat deal can look simple, but you have no way to check it against the official rate. If you're offered one, ask what it would have cost on the meter last month.

How many amps do you need?

Amps are a ceiling, not a quantity. With 5 A you can run lights, a fridge, the router and a laptop. With 10 A you add a washing machine or one small air conditioner, but not everything at once. Go over the limit and the breaker on the landing trips, and you walk downstairs (or call the operator) to reset it.

At August 2026 prices, Libnanews worked out that a household on a 10 A subscription would pay about US$169 for 300 kWh, close to US$277 for 500 kWh and more than US$384 for 700 kWh [4]. Summer air conditioning pushes most families towards the higher end. Per kilowatt-hour, that is well above what most Australian households pay at home.

UPS, batteries and solar

The worst part of Beirut power isn't the price, it's the switchover. When EDL cuts out there's a gap of seconds to a few minutes before the generator kicks in, and another blip when it switches back. That's enough to reboot your modem and drop your Zoom call with the Melbourne office.

The three common setups

Solar in apartments

Lebanon went solar fast after the crisis. The World Bank estimated off-grid solar capacity at around 1,000 MW by the end of 2023 [4]. On a drive through Beirut you'll see roofs packed with panels. In an apartment block, though, the roof is shared, so space is usually allocated (or fought over) between owners. As a tenant you're unlikely to install your own system. The question is whether the flat already has panels or a share of a building system, and who maintains the batteries.

At the grid level, the Electricity Regulatory Authority has called for expressions of interest for up to 350 MWc of grid-connected solar with 1,000 MWh of battery storage [4]. That's a plan, not something you'll feel at your switchboard yet.

Safety

Bring the Australian habit of caring about wiring with you. Generator cables run across streets and balconies, and battery banks get installed in kitchens and laundries. Make sure batteries are in a ventilated spot, inverters are properly earthed and nobody has bypassed a breaker. Also keep a torch and a power bank handy. Smartraveller notes that power cuts can affect hospitals and telecommunications, not only homes [1].

What to ask a landlord before signing

Power is the single biggest quality-of-life variable in a Beirut flat. Get answers to these before you commit.

1. How many EDL hours does this street get right now? Ask the neighbours or the concierge (natour), not just the landlord.
2. Who runs the generator, and is there a meter? Get the operator's name and phone number.
3. What amp package comes with the flat, and can it be raised? Some operators have no spare capacity.
4. Does the generator run overnight? Some cut out for a few hours late at night.
5. What did last summer's and last winter's generator bills come to? Ask to see them.
6. Is there a building generator for the lift and water pump? If not, a power cut on the seventh floor means stairs and no water pressure.
7. Is there an inverter, battery or solar share? Who owns it, and who replaces the batteries?
8. Whose name are the EDL meter and the generator account in? Put payment responsibilities in the lease.

Our tip: treat the generator subscription as part of the rent when comparing flats. A cheap flat with 5 A and no overnight power can cost you more in hassle than a dearer one with a solid setup.

Living with it: an Australian's checklist

The rhythm takes a few weeks to learn. EDL comes on, everyone starts the washing machine and heats water. EDL goes off, you turn the air conditioner down so the breaker doesn't trip. Fridges and freezers cope, but don't buy two weeks of meat if your area has long gaps overnight.

Some practical habits:

• Keep a power bank charged and a phone with a local SIM. Smartraveller says outages can affect mobile networks [1].
• Save the Australian Embassy's 24-hour number. From Lebanon, call +961 1 960 600 and press 7 to reach the Consular Emergency Centre [6].
• Think about medical devices. If anyone in your household relies on a CPAP machine, a nebuliser or refrigerated medication, size your battery backup for it.
• Factor power into your budget. Our cost-of-living guide has the wider picture.

For real-time intel on which streets have the best generator, join Cooee Lebanon, our Facebook group for Australians in Lebanon. Members compare amp packages and bills all the time.

Sources

1. Lebanon travel advice – Smartraveller (DFAT)
2. Generator rates in Lebanon at highest since April – L'Orient Today
3. Generator tariffs drop by nearly 10% in Lebanon – L'Orient Today
4. Lebanon: electricity lights up social anger – Libnanews (September 2026)
5. Lebanon raises electricity tariff – The National
6. Australian Embassy, Lebanon

Keep reading

• Renting in Beirut as an Australian
• Water in Beirut: tanks, water trucks and what's safe to drink
• Cost of living in Beirut vs Sydney and Melbourne
• Consular help and Smartraveller for Australians abroad