Butec Utility Services BUS is participating in SG PARIS 2014 in its 4th edition.

The conference and exhibition will take place on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of June in France.

Butec Utility Services – BUS one of the DSPs’ organized its annual Iftar at the Restaurant Qarnaoun - Batroun in the presence of Dr. Nizar Younes - Chairman of the mother company BUTEC, Mr. Ziad Younes, Mr. Fadi Abu Jaoude - GM of BUS, and the staff and workers of the company.

In his speech, Dr. Younes spoke about the great symbolic of the holy month of Ramadan, which reminds us of the moderated Islam, openness and recognition of the other.

He called the staff and workers to be dedicated in the implementation of their tasks as the objective of the DSP’s project is to serve the people and not bullying and blackmailing them in order to get the power supply in the best possible terms.

Younes considered that providing this service to the citizens is a duty and not a favor granted by any official or leader.

Then, Mr. Abou Jaoude exposed a summary of the achievements of the DSP’s.

Many speeches were then given by successively by engineers, technicians and staff members before distributing gifts to all the attendees.

BUS was awarded the electricity distribution services in the northern area of the capital Beirut to the Lebanese - Syrian borders. Under the scope of this mission, the company undertook a series of tasks including studies of the networks and substations, maintenance, upgrading, expansion meeting the needs of customers, organizing the collection, replacement of meters and use of the most sophisticated methods in the management of information. To maximize the chances of success BUS has established in the town Salaata a head customer service, maintenance and operation center comprising a compound of rehabilitation and technical training in different areas namely public safety measures and the security of workers.

To inform the public on the details of the project and the stages of implementation, which began a few months ago , (BUS) held a press conference at the Selaata’ center in presence of the Strategy manager at EDF Marc Boileau, the representative of the company Sewedy Electro meter Mr. Mohammed El Sewedy , the representative of the company AT Kearney consultants in management of the power sector Mr. Igor Holak, the president of the Industrialists union Nehme Efram, the Director General of EDL Kamal Hayek, the advisor of the Minister of Energy and Water Kamal Mohayar, the Mayor of Salaata George Salloum, Mr. Nizar Younes Chairman of Butec, Engineer Ziad Younes Chairman BUS and its Director General Eng. Fadi Abu Jaoude, interested persons and industrialists, journalists and representatives of businesses and factories.

Engineer Ziad Younes, Chairman of BUS tackled the problem of providing electricity to the citizens and said that three areas should be treated concurrently: production, transport and distribution to solve it and this will yield in benefits to more than 1 million customers and the 3000 employees provided to have the appropriate political environment.

Regarding the role of the private sector, he continued that the only remaining solution to break the impasse, is the cooperation with the private sector and take advantage of its capabilities as facility manager and not owner and maybe in some years once the assets of EDL are raised the privatization feasibility may be discussed.  He explained that Lebanon was divided on three competent DSPs to ensure efficient competition during the term of the project fixed to four years. 

The GM of BUS Fadi Abou Jaoude spoke about the human means and expertise mobilized for this project namely the daily wage earners of EDL who became part of the competent team BUS and members of the big family of BUTEC which is operating jointly on this project with EDF, EDL, IT Cornie, Needs and the 2 other DSPs’ KVA and Debbas, Suwaidi Electro meter as well as Nuk and Butec north.

He then introduced the studies and work plans achieved as well as the training and the SSW rules adopted as well as the logistics, call center and warehouses.

Younes than spoke about the Emergency Plan and  the studies and surveys department of BUS before exposing the major achievements which include connecting more than 12000 new customers to the network, the creation of 14 local automated client service centers 7 days a week from 7 to 7 and the foreseen milestones for ex. Laying the new smart meters as well as monthly invoicing and collection and stopping losses. 

The General manager of EDL Kamal Hayek endorsed the importance of the project and the benefits of citizens then he exposed the 6 objectives of the DSP : surveying assets of the EDL, preparing master plans for the distribution sector , and investments in line with master plans, providing better service to citizens, laying smart meters to reduce non technical losses and lastly eradicating the violations on the network to enhance the revenues of EDL.

Nehme Efram President of the industrialists union encouraged the proactive cooperation between the private and public sectors to foster the capacities of the public sector and bringing them to the highest levels to face the foreign competition.

Finally Engineer Ziad Younie introduced BUTEC present on the market since more than 50 years and its competent work team. Then he highlighted the close collaboration with the French team of ERDF / EDF consultants since the inception of the project.  

The last speaker was the director of strategy at EDF Marc Boileau who valuated the historical relation between France and Lebanon and the cooperation with BUTEC and BUS. Then he spoke about EDF the second biggest power company in the world employing 35000 persons and its human resources mobilized on this project being permanent working at DSPs head offices or those who came weekly to Lebanon to provide training.