New regulations: Lebanon clamps down on noncompliant power generator owners

Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Lebanese authorities launched a nationwide crackdown on private generator owners on Tuesday, the final day of a 45-day deadline to comply with new environmental and consumer-protection regulations.

Consumer protection inspectors from the Ministry of Economy and Trade, backed by State Security forces, swept through several neighborhoods in Beirut, targeting generator operators who failed to install mandatory noise filters, pollution-reduction equipment, and individual meters for subscribers. 

The crackdown targeted operators who failed to install mandatory electricity meters and noise-reducing filters, a move meant to ensure transparent pricing and reduce environmental harm.

The inspections deliberately covered generator owners from all religious communities to avoid accusations of favoritism in a country long sensitive to sectarian tensions. 

While most operators had fitted soundproofing and anti-pollution filters, many resisted installing meters, claiming that some customers preferred paying flat monthly fees rather than usage-based rates.

Economy Minister Amer Bisat dismissed those excuses in a press conference following the raids, stressing that meters are no longer optional. He reaffirmed that standardized tariffs and environmental filters are now compulsory, warning that violators will face legal action.

The ministry's message was clear: Lebanon's power generators—long a lifeline amid chronic electricity shortages—must finally submit to the rule of law, bringing an era of unregulated billing and unchecked pollution closer to an end.