Summary
Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil launched a tender book Friday for the import and supply of liquefied natural gas, in a significant step towards securing affordable fuel to power the ailing energy sector. The tender book stipulates the conditions to which companies must adhere in order to qualify for bidding on the project, which aims to create LNG import terminals from the north to the south of the country, and to arrange gas supply contracts.
Abi Khalil told The Daily Star at the news conference that after roughly eight years of obstruction, there was now no room for a holdup in the tender process.
More than one company or consortium could win the bidding given that the tender corresponds to three different sites: Selaata in the northern Minyeh-Dinnieh district, Zahrani in the southern Nabatieh district, and Deir Ammar in Batroun.
Abi Khalil said that some minister's calls to run the tender through the Tenders Department, a government oversight agency, were disingenuous and contravened the law.
Abi Khalil has a checkered history with the Tenders Department.
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