U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard on Monday visited the Deir Ammar Power Station in north Lebanon which is operated by U.S. firm PrimeSouth.

The U.S. company has invested $75 million to rehabilitate the facility and an additional $45 million in the Zahrani Power Station over the past two years.

“Together, the power stations generate nearly half of Electricité du Liban’s (EdL) power supply. This represents largest partnership to date between a private U.S. firm and the Government of Lebanon,” the U.S. embassy said in a statement.

Richard also called on the Mufti of Tripoli and the North Sheikh Malek al-Shaar, thanking him for “his important work on religious tolerance and with the youth in Lebanon’s second largest city,” the embassy added.

The ambassador concluded her visit by touring an agro-food processing facility at the premises of the Chambers of Commerce of Industry and Agriculture of Tripoli and the North (CCIAT).

“USAID invested $266,000 to establish the food processing facility that classifies Lebanese extra virgin olive oil, tests and brands Lebanese honey, and freeze dries fruits for market. These technologies will initially provide services to an estimated 300 local producers and traders per season,” the U.S. embassy noted.

It said that since 2007, the United States has provided over $4.8 billion in total combined assistance to Lebanon, including more than $1.7 billion in military assistance and more than $3.1 billion in development and humanitarian assistance.

“I am really, really, pleased to be with you today to celebrate the rehabilitation of this power plant, which I think is a wonderful example of what a U.S. industry and the Lebanese can do when they work together,” Richard said at the Deir Ammar plant.

She noited that American companies have “some of the best technologies in the world for the problems that most torment the Lebanese people: electricity, water, and waste management.”

“American companies want to work in Lebanon. And where there is a level playing field and a transparent investment climate, American companies will invest,” the ambassador emphasized.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/252437-richard-visits-deir-ammar-power-station-operated-by-private-u-s-company