How much does a generator subscription cost per month for 5, 10 or 15 amps?
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Short answer
It depends on how many kWh you use. Under the ministry's September 2026 tariff, a metered subscription pays a fixed monthly part of LL385,000 (5 A), LL685,000 (10 A), +LL300,000 per extra 5 A[1], plus consumption at LL52,840 per kWh (cities, below 700 m); LL58,124 (villages, above 700 m)[1,2]. By the same rule, 15 A carries LL985,000 fixed. Reported bills vary: a commercial expat guide says USD 50-100 a month; The National's dozen interviewees had a USD 310 median (August 2026)[3][4].
Also asked as: “Lebanon generator subscription price” · “How much is a generator subscription in Lebanon?” · “Generator price for 5 amps in Lebanon” · “Private generator tariff per ampere”
Key facts
- Fixed part, metered (September 2026)
- LL385,000 (5 A), LL685,000 (10 A), +LL300,000 per extra 5 A[1]
- Price per kWh (September 2026)
- LL52,840 per kWh (cities, below 700 m); LL58,124 (villages, above 700 m)[1,2]
- Fixed part for 15 A
- LL985,000: the 10 A rate plus LL300,000 for the extra 5 A[1]
- Dollar rate behind the tariff
- LL89,700 per USD (September 2026)[1]
- Not allowed on top
- no unregistered VAT, maintenance fees or solar surcharges[1]
How the official generator bill is worked out
The Ministry of Energy and Water's tariff is metered. You pay a fixed monthly part set by your amperage, then every kWh the meter records at that month's price[1]. The fixed part is the same in the city and village zones. The kWh price is higher in villages, remote areas and above 700 m than in cities, crowded areas and below 700 m[1,2].
| Subscription | Fixed part (September 2026) | Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 5 A | LL385,000[1] | kWh used × LL52,840 in cities, or × LL58,124 in villages[1,2] |
| 10 A | LL685,000[1] | the same kWh price |
| 15 A | LL985,000, by the LL300,000-per-extra-5 A rule[1] | the same kWh price |
The ministry sets each month's tariff from the average price of a 20-litre container of diesel and the average parallel-market dollar rate, which was LL89,700 for September 2026[1]. At that rate, the city price of LL52,840 comes to about USD 0.59 per kWh[1,2]. The tariff is issued under Council of Ministers Decision No. 2 of 14/12/2011.
No source turns an amperage into an expected monthly bill, because the bill depends on your kWh. Amperage sets how many appliances you can run at the same time[4]. How long you run them sets the consumption part.
What people actually pay
Many operators skip the meter and charge a flat monthly rate by amperage instead, which departs from the official metered tariff[4]. The National reported in October 2026 that many operators do not follow the tariffs or install the mandatory meters, and that the ministry's tariffs had risen almost 60% in six months. The two billing methods are compared in generator meter or flat rate.
The reported bills are far apart, and none of them gives both the amperage and the usage. Al Jazeera (16 October 2026) reported one Beirut-area household paying USD 80 a month for its generator, amperage not given, plus USD 60 for EDL[2]. ExpatLife.ai, a commercial expat guide that cites no source, puts shared building generators at USD 50-100 a month depending on amperage[3]. The National found a median of USD 310 in August 2026 among about a dozen people it interviewed, and said bills often pass USD 300[4].
At the high end, New Energy Consult, cited by The National, says a 25 A subscription cost as much as USD 750 in one Beirut neighbourhood in August 2026[4]. That is one area, not a typical bill. A figure of about USD 60 for 5 A also circulates in summaries of expat guides. We could not find who published it, so we do not rely on it.
Generator bills are high because the generator does most of the work. Private generators supplied 50% of Lebanon's electricity at the start of 2026 and EDL 31%, according to LCEC figures reported by The National[4]. Al-Modon reported EDL supply down to 2 to 4 hours a day (October 2026)[2,5]. See how many hours of state power you get now and the total monthly electricity cost.
What the operator may not add
The ministry's September 2026 notice says generator owners may not add VAT unless they are registered for VAT with the Ministry of Finance. They may not add maintenance fees for the generator or network under any pretext, and they may not add extra fees for subscribers who also use solar[1]. Meters for generator subscribers are mandatory under a Ministry of Economy and Trade decision[1,4].
For lifts and common areas on a three-phase supply, the ministry's October 2022 notice charged the fixed part on the single-phase rating: 3x15 A charged as 15 A[6]. We did not see whether the September 2026 notice repeats this. The National reported in October 2026 that, despite occasional crackdowns, operators have largely set prices as they please[4]. If yours overcharges, see what to do about generator overcharging.
How to check a generator bill yourself
- Find this month's tariff. The Ministry of Energy and Water publishes it monthly as a PDF notice on its website, and the National News Agency reprints it. In October 2026 the ministry's folder could not be opened, so we read the tariff through the news agency copy[6]. We track it in this month's generator tariff.
- Ask for the meter reading. You need your amperage and the kWh used that month. If there is no meter, you are on a flat rate outside the official tariff[4].
- Do the sum. Take the fixed part for your amperage and add kWh used × that month's kWh price[1]. Compare it with what you were asked to pay.
- Look for extras. Unregistered VAT, maintenance fees and solar surcharges are not allowed on top of the tariff[1]. Keep each bill and photograph the meter.
- Get it in writing before you rent. Ask the landlord which operator serves the building, how many amps the flat gets, whether it is metered and who pays. Write the answers into the lease: see who pays utilities in a rented flat.
It depends on
- Metered or flat rate. The official tariff only covers metered bills, so a flat amperage rate is whatever the operator sets[4]. Ask the operator for the rate in writing.
- The month. The tariff follows diesel prices and the dollar rate, so it changes every month[1]. Check the ministry's notice for the month on your bill.
- EDL hours. The fewer hours of state power you get, the more kWh you draw from the generator. Ask neighbours or the building committee what recent bills looked like.
- The building. Each building shares lift and common-area generator costs in its own way. Ask the owners' association how they are split and billed.
Common questions
How much is a 5 amp generator subscription in Lebanon?
Can my generator owner charge extra for maintenance?
No. The Ministry of Energy and Water's September 2026 notice bars maintenance fees for the generator or network, extra fees for solar users, and VAT unless the owner is registered for it[1].
Is the generator tariff the same every month?
No. The ministry issues a new tariff each month based on the average price of diesel and the parallel-market dollar rate[1].
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.Private generator tariff for September 2026
Beirut24 (reproducing National News Agency / Ministry of Energy and Water statement) · 1 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.From the citizen's pocket to the institution's deficit: how Electricité du Liban stumbles
Al Jazeera · 16 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.ExpatLife.ai: Renting in Lebanon 2026 (Housing guide)
ExpatLife.ai · 13 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Lebanon's power failure: Diesel generators, $300-a-month bills - and a corrupt system milking the profits
The National · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Electricity crisis: more supply hours await an international consultant's oversight
Al-Modon · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.Ministry of Energy and Water issues the private generator tariff for October 2022
Ministry of Energy and Water (Lebanon) · 27 Oct 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- What is the official private generator tariff this month?Latest published tariff (September 2026): LL52,840 per kWh in cities, LL58,124 in villages, plus a fixed fee by amperage. How bills work and how to check.
- Should I pay my generator by meter or a flat ampere rate, and is a meter mandatory?Generator meters are mandatory and the official tariff is metered, though many operators charge a flat ampere rate. How the two compare and what to check.
- What can I do if my generator owner overcharges or has no meter?Check your bill against the Energy Ministry's monthly tariff, ask for the mandatory meter, refuse banned surcharges. No complaint route is published.
- How much will I pay per month for electricity in a Beirut apartment?It varies widely: one Beirut-area household paid USD 140 a month for EDL and generator in October 2026. How the two bills work and what to check.
- Who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat in Lebanon?No published rule says who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat: the lease decides. What to write and how meters change name.
- Who pays for the building generator, lift and common-area electricity in Lebanon: owners or tenants?Owners fund lifts and shared equipment through the owners' association under Decree 88/1983; the lease decides what a tenant pays. Rules, votes, arrears.
- How many hours of state electricity does Lebanon get per day now?Reports put EDL supply at 2 to 4 hours a day in October 2026. Why it fell, what could add hours, and how to check a flat's real power supply.
- How much does EDL electricity cost per kWh now?EDL's last reported tariff: USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 above (April 2026). A rise was requested. Generator costs and how to check.
